Press Release
February 18, 2011

Opening statement of Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
during the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing

These past few days, in deference to the grief of the family of General Angelo Reyes, I have chosen to keep quiet concerning this issue that this representation has used Retired Col. George Rabusa to malign his honor and reputation and that the appearance of the witness was not in accordance with the agenda of the hearing of that day. I now would like to put to rest and correct the misimpression created against me that I presented Col. Rabusa to the hearing as a personal vendetta against the late Gen. Reyes.

This imputation is not true and I categorically state today that it was farthest from my mind; because the appearance of Col. Rabusa during that hearing was in fact in accordance with the twin agenda of the Blue Ribbon Committee which is concerning the plea bargain agreement entered into between the Ombudsman and Gen. Carlos Garcia and my privilege speech which I delivered on January 19, 2011 about the corruption in the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

So it is clear that when I introduced Col. Rabusa as a witness, his testimony was material and relevant to the issue of my privilege speech. It was therefore just proper for Col. Rabusa to testify on his personal knowledge about the corruption in the military which unfortunately involved Gen. Reyes, because Gen. Reyes was then the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, when Col. Rabusa was then the budget officer.

Kaya po ako ay umaasa na ito ay magbibigay ng wakas sa lahat ng mga maling pag-aakala na ang tanging layunin ng inyong lingkod ay isang personal na paghihiganti laban kay Gen. Reyes. Maraming salamat po.

News Latest News Feed