By Czarina Nicole O. Ong
The plunder trial of former Sen. Ramon “Bong” B. Revilla Jr. took a surprising turn yesterday after “pork barrel” fund scam whistleblower Marlina Sula testified in favor of the defense and said that she was coaxed by the prosecution to support the testimony of fellow whistleblower Benhur Luy.
Sula said Revilla had no first-hand knowledge on the projects being implemented under his Priority Development Assistance Fund.
Sula denied meeting Revilla while she was still working for alleged pork barrel fund scam mastermind businesswoman Janet L. Napoles but she admitted handling several documents involving the fake non-government organization Masaganang Ani para sa Magsasaka Foundation Inc.
Sula testified that Luy was responsible for Revilla’s forged signatures that endorsed the bogus organization. “Wala pong alam si Sen. Revilla sa paggawa po ng endorsement letters,” she said.
Sula said he was asked by the Ombudsman prosecution panel to affirm the statements of Luy, prompting her to backtrack on her testimony in 2014.
“Sinabihan kasi ako ng panel na mag-corroborate sa sinabi ni Benhur kasi si Benhur ang nauna sa bail hearings.
Mayroon po siyang mga sinasabi na para sa akin hindi totoo,” Sula said.
Sula identified former Director and current Judge Joefferson Toribio as the one who tasked her to affirm Luy’s testimony.
