GENERAL AMNESIA HITS THE SENATE
MANILA, JANUARY 31, 2011 (STAR) By Christina Mendez – Call it "general amnesia."
Former Armed Forces chief and defense secretary Angelo Reyes and former military comptroller Jacinto Ligot both exhibited "senior moments" yesterday.
The two said they have forgotten instances when P5 million in monthly allowances were brought to Reyes during his term as AFP chief.
Pressed for answers by Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, Ligot said he could not recall the claims of ex-military budget officer George Rabusa that it was the two of them who delivered Reyes' share of the P40-million funds they generated monthly from the AFP's major services and key units.
"I am trying to recall, I cannot recall…" Ligot said.
Ligot was then comptroller of the AFP while Rabusa was chief of the budget of the AFP Fiscal Division.
It was at this point that Estrada threatened to have him locked up in one of the hearing rooms at the Senate until he collects his thoughts.
"General Ligot, do you remember it now? Mukhang nag moonie-moonie ka (you seemt obe day dreaming)," said Estrada when he returned to Ligot after subjecting Rabusa to another round of questioning.
Ligot then reluctantly admitted, "I went there a few times, but I cannot recall Colonel Rabusa's claims that we were always together, sir."
"You cannot recall. Maybe you can start recalling now since you now say that you went to the White House, but not the instances when you bring money (to Reyes)," Estrada said. The White House is the Afp chief of staff's residence in Camp Aguinaldo.
"Your honor, we go there (White House) if there are issues we need to directly consult with the chief of staff," Ligot said, adding they do not necessarily just go to the AFP chief's official quarters but also to his office.
"We go there occasionally… I can't recall, your honor," Ligot insisted.
When Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile asked Rabusa why Ligot had to accompany him, Rabusa explained it was the "practice" to go to the White House and deliver the money.
Enrile was unable to hide his irritation at the alibis of Ligot and Reyes, saying that "things like that are not forgettable."
"I don't believe you, it's against human condition… Things like that are not forgettable. The repeated acts like that, dealing with material things. You cannot convince me that you cannot remember even one time," Enrile said.
"Don't press your luck. I have handled more people then you can ever handle," warned Enrile, defense minister during the Marcos regime.
At the start of the hearing, Reyes also forgot dates when he was questioned by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV over when he acted as AFP chief, and subsequently as Defense secretary.
Trillanes had confronted Reyes head on a number of times during the hearing, telling his former superior pointblank that he has no reputation to save because he failed to take care of it when he was in power.
Reyes tried several times to turn the tables on Rabusa but Trillanes blocked Reyes' attempt to "defend" his reputation.
Reyes was, however, allowed to explain his side before the Senate hearing was suspended.
The hearing lasted seven hours.
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