[PHOTO - PHOTO OF FORMER PRESIDENT JOSEPH 'ERAP' EJERCITO ESTRADA DURING THE TIME OF HIS CONVICTION, GUILTY OF PLUNDER]
MANILA, FEBRUARY 19, 2011 (STAR) By Jose Rodel Clapano - Former President Joseph Estrada is willing to testify in the Senate inquiry into the alleged corruption in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
"Anytime," Estrada said in a telephone interview when asked about his willingness to testify in the probe.
The Senate Blue Ribbon committee will hear today the expose of retired budget officer Lt. Col. George Rabusa about the diversion of military funds during the terms of retired AFP comptrollers Gen. Carlos Garcia and Gen. Jacinto Ligot.
Rabusa claimed that during his term as budget officer for the two generals, he obtained first hand information on how millions of military funds were diverted as sendoff money to retiring officials.
Ligot was comptroller during the term of the late former AFP chief of staff Angelo Reyes.
Former press secretary Rigoberto Tiglao said Estrada should be the first to testify before the Senate instead of his predecessor, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo because Rabusa and Ligot began their careers during the Estrada administration.
Tiglao noted that Ligot was AFP comptroller from October 1999 to March 2001 while Rabusa was budget officer for a year during Estrada's term.
He said Estrada should explain how the AFP financed the operation of capturing Camp Abubakar in 2000, which was controlled by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Estrada claimed he didn't know the military officials.
"I did not appoint them. They are not presidential appointees. The presidential appointees are the chiefs of staff…I don't even know them," Estrada said.
He said he has also asked former Budget secretary Benjamin Diokno to testify in the Senate on the military expenses during the campaign against the MILF in 2000.
"In fact, I even called for Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno. He can face the Senate and tell them how much are the budget. Everything is on record," Estrada said.
Blue Ribbon committee chair Sen. Teofisto Guingona III said they have also invited Ligot's wife, Erlinda, who was implicated by Rabusa as one of those who benefited from the perks enjoyed by her husband during his term as comptroller.
Erlinda has not confirmed attendance to the hearing.
Last Feb. 7, Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Estrada had exposed that Ligot's wife had eight houses to her name in the United States.
The next day, Reyes committed suicide by shooting himself through the heart in front of his parents' graves.
Guingona said the committee will also tackle the disappearance of funds from the United Nations, which was also part of Rabusa's testimonies.
Missing UN funds
The Department of Foreign Affairs, meanwhile, has transmitted to the House committee on national defense and security the documents related to the peacekeeping reimbursements made by the Peacekeeping Financing Division of the United Nations to the Philippines.
DFA is coordinating with the Bureau of Treasury (BTr) on the procedure for remitting UN reimbursements to the national treasury, as recommended by Philippine Permanent Representative to the UN Libran Cabactulan.
The DFA received the documents from the Philippine Permanent Mission to the UN last Feb. 11.
The records showed that the reimbursements were directly deposited to the bank accounts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) or turned over to the Philippine Mission.
The US$3.3-million reimbursements for the equipment used by the Philippine peacekeeping troops to Haiti are currently in the custody of the Philippine Consulate General in New York.
The UN has denied reports that an unidentified Philippine military personnel personally picked up a check worth US$5 million from its New York headquarters.
In a statement, the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) said no check was issued in that amount.
"All payments and checks covering peacekeeping related costs are issued under a cover letter to the Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Philippines to the UN."
Documents also showed that all reimbursements made to the Philippines for that year were remitted to Philippine bank accounts.
The DFA said the utilization of peacekeeping funds should be transparent to maintain the Philippines' status as a respected contributor of troops to UN peacekeeping operations.
DND official resigns
A defense official tasked to investigate the alleged corruption in the military has resigned because of health reasons.
Former assistant secretary Willie Palugod, one of the members of a special investigating committee formed to look into the supposed misuse of military funds, filed his resignation effective Feb. 2 because of a heart condition.
"He (Palugod) was advised by his cardiologist to avoid stress," said DND spokesman Eduardo Batac. – With Christina Mendez, Pia Lee-Brago, Alexis Romero, Jaime Laude
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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