The government is currently reviewing the application of Dennis Cunanan, the Director General of Technology Resource Center (TRC), as a state witness in the ongoing investigation over the alleged PhP 600 million PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) scam.
Cunanan’s office was reported to have been used as one of the intermediate points for the pork barrel that ended up in the pockets of three senators and Janet Napoles. Cunanan’s application for state protection was also hinged on his claim that he didn’t get a single centavo from the transaction.
Quoting the eloquent Sen. Mirriam Santiago, this claim of Cunanan "goes against the grain of common sense." Millions of pesos passed through your office intended to fatten unscrupulous individuals and you are claiming that you were not paid to look the other way?
This is simply incredible to believe. It means that Cunanan who pride himself as a "young man who has a rendezvous with destiny" and listed several private and government positions, including his stint as the number one councilor in the Municipality of Magalang, Pampanga in 1995, was duped by powerful people and he just suffered in silence until now?
If anybody foolish enough to believe that a man with a long list of credentials and qualifications know about the millions of people’s money being diverted for personal gains and he did not partake with the spoils is probably also guilty of believing that Cunanan is really a graduate of University of the Philippines (UP).
Well, maybe if his short appointment to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is to be used as a basis then Cunanan maybe is really slow in the head despite his long career in the Junior Chamber International (JCI) and JCI-Philippines (JCIP or Philippine Jaycees), organizations that put a premium on leadership skills and strong community service.
Cunanan, who is a college undergraduate, was appointed by former President Gloria Arroyo as executive director of the CHED in 2004. Fortunately, former Civil Service Commissioner (CSC) Karina Constantino-David got a whiff of the blatant attempt to put one over the Filipino people and CHED officials as well as their Employees Union protested the appointment of Cunanan because he misrepresented himself.
To save face, Cunanan claimed unbelievably that he did not know about the appointment and that he resigned from the position.
"I was appointed. I did not apply for it at nabigla ako na dun ako dinala," he said during the Senate hearing recently.
"I left on my own. I have a resignation letter dahil alam ko na may problem ako nung time na yun. May deficiencies ako na hindi na kayang ayusin at that time so sabi ko hindi na pwede kaya nag-resign ako," Cunanan added.
So who among you believes that a person can get appointed to a government position without them knowing about it (nabigla daw)? Come on, don’t be shy and show to the world how silly you are. This is the first time I have heard of anybody claiming that they were appointed to a management position without their prior knowledge or even consent.
So let’s assume the impossible and entertain the idea that indeed Cunanan did not know about it. So, how come it took him a month top tender his resignation? Is hoping that the issue will just die down? And if he thinks that he is not qualified, why did he accept his appointment (again) as a Deputy Director-General of the TRC in December 2004 from the same President knowing that he can only finish his diploma course from Lacson College in 2005?
If this is one of the best that the government Witness Protection Program can offer against the brains behind the PDAF scam, then we are in deep shit. We would be better off, evidence-wise, to continue seek supporting evidence to bolster Behur Luy's claim that Cunanan received a hefty commission from Napoles and drop the new JCI Secretary-General's application for protection.
Cunanan’s office was reported to have been used as one of the intermediate points for the pork barrel that ended up in the pockets of three senators and Janet Napoles. Cunanan’s application for state protection was also hinged on his claim that he didn’t get a single centavo from the transaction.
Quoting the eloquent Sen. Mirriam Santiago, this claim of Cunanan "goes against the grain of common sense." Millions of pesos passed through your office intended to fatten unscrupulous individuals and you are claiming that you were not paid to look the other way?
This is simply incredible to believe. It means that Cunanan who pride himself as a "young man who has a rendezvous with destiny" and listed several private and government positions, including his stint as the number one councilor in the Municipality of Magalang, Pampanga in 1995, was duped by powerful people and he just suffered in silence until now?
If anybody foolish enough to believe that a man with a long list of credentials and qualifications know about the millions of people’s money being diverted for personal gains and he did not partake with the spoils is probably also guilty of believing that Cunanan is really a graduate of University of the Philippines (UP).
Well, maybe if his short appointment to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is to be used as a basis then Cunanan maybe is really slow in the head despite his long career in the Junior Chamber International (JCI) and JCI-Philippines (JCIP or Philippine Jaycees), organizations that put a premium on leadership skills and strong community service.
Cunanan, who is a college undergraduate, was appointed by former President Gloria Arroyo as executive director of the CHED in 2004. Fortunately, former Civil Service Commissioner (CSC) Karina Constantino-David got a whiff of the blatant attempt to put one over the Filipino people and CHED officials as well as their Employees Union protested the appointment of Cunanan because he misrepresented himself.
To save face, Cunanan claimed unbelievably that he did not know about the appointment and that he resigned from the position.
"I was appointed. I did not apply for it at nabigla ako na dun ako dinala," he said during the Senate hearing recently.
"I left on my own. I have a resignation letter dahil alam ko na may problem ako nung time na yun. May deficiencies ako na hindi na kayang ayusin at that time so sabi ko hindi na pwede kaya nag-resign ako," Cunanan added.
So who among you believes that a person can get appointed to a government position without them knowing about it (nabigla daw)? Come on, don’t be shy and show to the world how silly you are. This is the first time I have heard of anybody claiming that they were appointed to a management position without their prior knowledge or even consent.
So let’s assume the impossible and entertain the idea that indeed Cunanan did not know about it. So, how come it took him a month top tender his resignation? Is hoping that the issue will just die down? And if he thinks that he is not qualified, why did he accept his appointment (again) as a Deputy Director-General of the TRC in December 2004 from the same President knowing that he can only finish his diploma course from Lacson College in 2005?
If this is one of the best that the government Witness Protection Program can offer against the brains behind the PDAF scam, then we are in deep shit. We would be better off, evidence-wise, to continue seek supporting evidence to bolster Behur Luy's claim that Cunanan received a hefty commission from Napoles and drop the new JCI Secretary-General's application for protection.