Maniolas

Actor Mat Ranillo III, who has been tagged as having an alleged role in the pork barrel scam, is willing to return to the country and testify on the plunder case, according to his sister Suzette. In an interview aired on GMA News TV’s Balitanghali, Suzette said: “Mat is willing to come home naman as long as protektado ang safety niya.” Ranillo, who had played Christ and San Lorenzo Ruiz in the movies, has been linked to the pork barrel scam for allegedly signing vouchers for the kickbacks supposedly received by Senator Jinggoy Estrada and his mother, former First Lady and Senator Loi Estrada. Ranillo was mentioned again on national TV by whistleblower Ruby Tuason during her testimony on Thursday. Some of the vouchers were submitted in court by Ranillo in his legal dispute against JLN Corporation, a company owned by alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles. Earlier, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said she was told the justice department has received feelers from Ranillo but refused to give other details. “Naririnig ko rin na parang may feelers from Mr. Mat Ranillo so we would welcome that. Let’s see kung ano iyong magiging value ng kanyang testimony if and when he cooperates,” De Lima said. However, the legal counsel for the whistleblowers in the P10-billion pork barrel fund scam is not in favor of making actor Ranillo a state witness, saying it is unlikely that the actor had personal transactions with the senators implicated in the scam. “Ang pupuwede Read More …

The legal counsel for the whistleblowers in the P10-billion pork barrel fund scam is not in favor of turning actor Matt Ranillo III into a state witness, saying it is unlikely that the actor had personal transactions with the senators implicated in the scam. “Ang pupuwede sa kanya ay isang ordinary witness. Ang tingin ko kay Mr. Matt Ranillo ay hindi niya kayang i-divulge yung mga naging transactions niya involving legislators implicated,” lawyer Levito Baligod said in an interview on GMA News “24 Oras” aired Thursday evening. Baligod added waiting for Ranillo’s affidavit on the scam might only hamper the investigation of the Office of the Ombudsman. More than 30 people, including former and incumbent government officials, are facing graft complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the pork barrel scam. Among the respondents are Senators Jinggoy Estrada, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Juan Ponce Enrile.  Detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles and Ruby Tuason, the latest whistleblower, are also respondents in the complaints. Last week, at a Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on the scam, principal whistleblower Benhur Luy said Ranillo signed vouchers to show that pork barrel kickbacks had been received by Estrada and his mother, former First Lady Loi Estrada. GMA News is still trying to reach Ranillo as of this post, but his lawyer—who refused to be named—said the actor has not yet made a decision on whether or not to testify on the plunder case.  — Elizabeth Marcelo/JDS, GMA News

After the mourning comes the pursuit of justice.  But the families of 15 fatalities of the Florida bus crash last Feb. 7 have yet to agree whether they will pursue it collectively. In a phone interview with GMA News Online, Ayeen Karunungan, spokesperson of the artist collective Dakila, said the families, including the wife of the late comedian Arvin “Tado” Jimenez, are discussing the details for a possible class suit against the owners of G.V. Florida Transport Inc. One of its buses fell into a ravine in Bontoc, Mt. Province on Feb. 7, killing their loved ones. “Wala pang final, pero so far, criminal and civil cases,” she said, when asked what cases they might file against the company. Karunungan said this after the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, together with the Insurance Commission, were able to convince the owners of G.V. Florida Transport to shell out money for the fatalities. At the hearing on the incident, LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez said each family of the 15 fatalities will receive P150,000 in insurance benefits—P100,000 from G.V. Florida Transport, Inc. and P50,000 from an insurance consortium.  However, Ginez stressed that there are no strings attached to the money given to the family of the fatalities. “Hindi po ito nakatali dun sa anumang additional claims, cases that you may pursue against the parties involved in this case. Maliwanag po ‘yan sa G.V. Florida, sa Dagupan Bus, kay Mr. Norberto Que. So kung ano pa ‘yung gusto ninyong i-pursue na mga legal Read More …