Brigadier General Benito de Leon previously served as executive (–foul word(s) removed–)istant of former Armed Forces Chief Roy Cimatu admitted Friday that he was receiving millions of pesos from the “whistle-blower” George Rabusa, but de Leon insisted that it was done legitimate.
Brigadier General Benito de Leon admitted during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing that he received P10-million in cash several times in 2002 from Rabusa during the time when he was still Cimatu’s executive (–foul word(s) removed–)istant.
Rabusa in his previous testimony in the Senate referred to the “executive (–foul word(s) removed–)istants” of military senior officers as “BagMen” or a man who received payola every month from the AFP comptrollership office.
But de Leon said during his opening statement to the committee “I firmly deny that former General Roy Cimatu had received the so-called “pabaon” or “pasalubong”.
However, Rabusa said to de Leon “your statement is totally a lie; I know you are my ‘mistah,’ so please’.
George Rabusa and Benito de Leon were cl(–foul word(s) removed–)mates at the Philippine Military Academy (Cl(–foul word(s) removed–) 1981).
During the time when Rabusa was the budget officer of the Armed Forces, de Leon asked him to provide another P10-million in addition to the monthly of P5-million that Cimatu’s office was regularly receiving then, said Rabusa.
Colenel Antonio Lim former deputy of Rabusa confirms his statement.
As to reply the question of Senator Frank Drilon, de Leon admitted that “despite of the millions of pesos in public funds that he had been receiving he is not ‘accountable officer’.”
Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada is doing best to correct the misimpression against him of bringing Colonel George Rabusa to Senate hearing.
“Binging Rabusa to Senate did not mean to get back the late former chief Angelo Reyes, it was farthest from my mind” he said.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile reminded his colleagues to be careful in all dealing, considering that there are people just there watching with different motives, strategies or objectives that impair the unity and the country’s future.
Committee chairman Senator Teofisto Guingona III (–foul word(s) removed–)ured that anybody present at the hearing would be given equal opportunity to speak during session.
