Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) – State witness Ruby Tuason testified for the last time at the bail hearing of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada before the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division on Monday morning (July 20).
During her final cross examination, defense lawyers zeroed in on the terms of Tuason’s P45 million loan from East West Bank.
Tuason got the loan so she could pay the government P40 million in 2014 before she was admitted as state witness in the pork scam cases, which were allegedly masterminded by Janet Lim-Napoles.
Estrada’s lawyers questioned Tuason about the details of her loan contract. They pointed out that Tuason gave false information in some provisions.
However, Justice Alexander Gesmundo said the line of questioning of the defense was going nowhere since the bank had already approved the loan.
But Estrada’s lawyers argued that they wanted to show Tuason as a pathological liar in a bid to break her credibility as a witness.
Gesmundo, however, said the defense should present their own evidence and witness to counter Tuason’s testimony instead of desperately trying to extract a lie out of her in court.
Tuason earlier testified she personally delivered Estrada’s commissions from transacting with Napoles.
Justice Undersecretary Jose Justiniano, who has been assisting state prosecutors in the pork scam cases, said the defense failed to quash Tuason’s credibility.
Overall, Justiniano said he believed Tuason’s testimony would show the court there is strong evidence against Estrada and that the senator’s bid for temporary release should be denied.
The senator is detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center for allegedly funneling his pork barrel to non-existent projects.
