Singson twits Estrada on slain auditor as witness

VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur – Former Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson chided deposed President Joseph Estrada yesterday for saying that the slain Ilocos Sur auditor Agustin Chan Jr. would have been his witness in his plunder case in the Sandiganbayan.

Singson said Estrada’s claim "is one for an Erap movie."

Estrada earlier said Chan would have taken the witness stand in his favor in the plunder case he is facing in the anti-graft court.

Singson wondered why the Estrada camp has been allegedly delaying the hearing of the case "when, as he (claimed), he (had) a strong witness in Atty. Chan."

"They even believe that Atty. Chan would exonerate him, so why are they obstructing the immediate hearing of the case?," the former governor asked.

Singson said that had the slain auditor testified, his testimony would be on what was on record at the provincial auditor’s office, allegedly showing that P130 million in tobacco excise tax funds has yet to be liquidated "because this is the money I gave to Erap and members of his family."

Earlier, Singson said he would not benefit from Chan’s killing. Turning the table on Estrada, he said the former president’s camp knew that Chan’s would-be testimony would not be of help to Estrada’s defense "so they decided to use him some other way."

Singson said that under such a situation, the blame would be put on him. Chan, he said, is related to him by affinity because his first cousin Mila Singson-Rulla is married to Chan’s brother-in-law.

This explains, he said, why he would not have even asked for Chan’s transfer from Ilocos Sur as Estrada had claimed. "I could have easily done so since COA (Commission on Audit) chairman Celso Gangan then is a personal friend," he said.

Singson said "Erap and his men" are allegedly capable of dastardly acts. "Gagamitin ka hanggang magagamit ka. Pag di ka na pakikinabangan, dispensable ka na (They will use you until they can take advantage of you. If they can no longer use you, you are dispensable). That’s what happened to me," he said.