SOCIALITE Ruby Tuason fled the country in 2013 because she was scared by the people鈥檚 outrage over the pork barrel scam.
In her testimony during the bail hearing on the plunder case of accused pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles, Tuason, a self-confessed bagwoman who turned state witness, said she was frightened after being named in news reports as one of those involved in the scam, prompting her to go abroad to get away with it.
She fled the country on Aug. 26, 2013, coincidentally on the day when the social media-led Million People鈥檚 March against the pork barrel system was held at Luneta Park.
鈥淚 remember that [at that time], there was a Million People鈥檚 March in Luneta. I got nervous. I don鈥檛 know what to do. It鈥檚 a million people鈥檚 march against PDAF,鈥� Tuason told the court when asked why she left the country. She returned to the county in February 2014 and turned state witness.
She said she saw more details about the scam on television.
Tuason also told the court she did not know Napoles was allegedly behind the scam.
Tuason said she delivered kickbacks to Enrile through Atty. Jessica Lucila 鈥淕igi鈥� Reyes, the senator鈥檚 chief of staff. She said she and Gigi were good friends. Reyes is currently detained at the Camp Bagong Diwa female dormitory for plunder.
Tuason said although it hurts her to drag Reyes in the scam, she said she needed to tell the truth.
鈥淚 prayed for discernment. I decided to tell the truth. As much as it hurts me, because Gigi is a good friend,鈥� Tuason said.
Tuason had admitted before a Senate hearing that she delivered bagsful of kickback money to the Senate office of Senator Jose 鈥淛inggoy鈥� Estrada, who is detained for plunder over the alleged diversion of his PDAF to ghost projects for kickbacks through Napoles鈥� dummy foundations.
She also admitted before the court that she served as Estrada鈥檚 agent in 2004 and in 2008 and as Enrile鈥檚 agent from 2004 to 2009.
She said she received five to 10 percent commissions from Estrada and Enrile鈥檚 pork barrel projects.
Tuason had returned to government her kickbacks amounting to at least P40 million as a condition for her to become the state鈥檚 witness and thus immune from suit.