In media interviews and in talks with Senate Minority Leader Teofisto Guingona, Singson has since admitted his involvement in jueteng operations in his region. But he claims to be merely a "bagman" and maintains that he delivered P10 million a month to Malacañang officials from November 1998 until August this year, when he had a falling out with his old friend.
The virulence of the adminis-trations response indicates how damaging Singsons tale is perceived. President Estrada is by turns angry and hurting, calling the allegations a pack of lies. Senate President Pro Tempore Blas Ople has warned that the allegations could lead to the ouster, not of any Malacañang official but of Guingona. Palace officials say Singson cant be allowed to turn state witness in exchange for immunity because this is only possible for the least guilty. Administration lawmakers are conducting a head count to make sure no impeachment initiated by the opposition will prosper as a result of Singsons revelations.
Singsons story, however, is like toothpaste that can no longer be squeezed back into the tube. Here is a confessed jueteng lord, once a member of the Presidents closest circle of advisers called the Midnight Cabinet, vowing to tell all. With his livelihood and his life on the line, Singson has thrown caution to the winds and is giving the nation an opportunity to peek into corruption at the highest levels. At the very least, the public deserves to know why Bingo-2 Ball, the legal form of jueteng, could start operations with a mere verbal order from the Office of the President, why all earnings from the new game should be deposited in the account of Atong Angs company, out of which he will remit to Pagcor only 23 percent. How can Malacañang feign ignorance, when several months ago, the legal form of jueteng was the subject of a meeting among top police and Pagcor officials, alleged gambling lord Bong Pineda and Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora?
At the very least, the public deserves to hear Singsons entire story. If hes lying, the government can always come out with a rebuttal. Only the wrongdoers are afraid of the truth.