Even Sen. Sonny Angara couldn鈥檛 help but tweet his observations about Benhur Luy鈥檚 demeanor while testifying.
鈥淏enhur Luy is the happiest whistle-blower I鈥檝e seen. Frequently giggling,鈥� Angara said on Twitter.
Yet, he was engaged in a very serious matter. Possibly even deadly.
The long-haired witness not only wore a bulletproof vest under a black hoodie. Three security men from the Witness Protection Program also stood guard right behind him as he spoke of what could possibly be the biggest scandal involving the Congress of the Philippines.
And the star witness sounded like he was just telling a simple story鈥攄irect to the point but without naming names which was the only condition he asked before he would testify.
Under heavy security, Luy showed up at the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on Thursday and spoke of the alleged role of businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles鈥攈is second cousin鈥攊n a multibillion-peso pork barrel scam.
A Senate female staff described the heavy guard around Luy as 鈥渢he first time (such a security was enforced) in the history of Senate inquiries.鈥�
鈥淚 think he is very credible and very believable,鈥� Sen. Teofisto Guingona III, the Senate blue ribbon committee chair, told reporters. 鈥淚t was a very convincing testimony.鈥�
He added, 鈥淭here is reasonable basis to conclude that there is in fact either malversation of public funds or plunder committed by some legislators.鈥�
Praise from netizens
Luy鈥檚 testimony drew a host of comments on the Internet.
#BENHURLUY, yo da man!鈥� netizen witness LBJKing said. Netizen resregacho tweeted: 鈥淧raying for this guy鈥檚 life. God bless you #BenHurLuy.鈥�
鈥�#BenhurLuy You are one of the unsung heroes of our country 鈥� I salute you,鈥� netizen jordan_bautista tweeted.
For someone facing what Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said was a 鈥渟erious threat on his life,鈥� the 31-year-old Luy appeared very relaxed, reciting from memory how legislators allegedly channeled their pork barrel to fake foundations put up by Napoles. He had no notes whatsoever.
He was cool, unflappable, spontaneous.
Described as an expert in faking signatures, Luy admitted doing such work for some lawmakers but 鈥渨ith the approval of Ms. Napoles.鈥�
He initially downplayed being good at duplicating signatures but later spoke of the differences in the individual legislator鈥檚 鈥渟trokes.鈥�
鈥淵ou鈥檙e even talking of 鈥榮trokes,鈥欌�� Sen. Francis Escudero said in jest during the five-hour hearing that detailed how Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocations allegedly went to Napoles, to legislators and to implementing agencies.
鈥楽别虫测鈥�
Luy was apparently no stranger to the Senate. He admitted being in the chamber in 2004, 2011 and last year鈥攐nce to go to the office of a senator code-named 鈥淪exy.鈥�
He said he usually logged in the Senate ledger before proceeding to the office of a senator he had a transaction with.
鈥淚鈥檓 just curious. You said 鈥楽别虫测鈥� is a guy. How did that happen?鈥� Escudero asked in Filipino.
鈥淎t first, they said he was chubby, then he suddenly slimmed down鈥攕o, 鈥楽exy,鈥欌�� Luy replied, prompting Escudero to manifest in jest that he himself was 鈥渟lim long ago.鈥�
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, for his part, said he was 鈥済etting slim but I鈥檓 not 鈥榮exy.鈥欌��
Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, who had been implicated in the alleged scam, vehemently denied knowing Luy or ever meeting him.
鈥淢amatay man (Let me die if I鈥檓 telling a lie),鈥� Estrada, who watched the hearing at home, told the Inquirer on the phone.
Luy didn鈥檛 appear tense during the hearing, despite De Lima鈥檚 statement that she had 鈥渞aw information鈥� on a security threat against the whistle-blower.
Luy entered the session hall some 20 minutes after the hearing began at 10:51 a.m. He occupied the seat beside De Lima, who sat across Sen. Teofisto Guingona III, the committee chair.
At least three security men stood guard right behind Luy as he spoke.
How he started
A medical technology graduate, Luy said he joined Napoles in 2002, serving as an assistant who usually joined Napoles and her husband in their car.
Later, he said he was entrusted with handling finances because he was 鈥済ood at listing and liquidation.鈥�
Prior to 2002, he said Napoles was 鈥渘ot rich鈥� (mahirap lang) judging by her 鈥渟mall鈥� house in Bi帽an, Laguna province.
鈥淚n 2002, I was surprised that she was already living in Ayala Alabang Village,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut I understood later on, after I learned she was a contractor transacting with the government.鈥�
The scam鈥檚 principal whistle-blower did not touch his food during his testimony.
Luy, who simply drank water during the entire proceedings, also told the senators he had documents to support his testimonies.鈥�With reports from Inquirer.net.
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