Maricel Soriano testifies in Senate probe on 'PDEA leaks'

Actress Maricel Soriano testified Tuesday before the Senate panel on public order and dangerous drugs after she and President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. were linked to illegal drugs, based on the supposed leaked confidential Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) reports.

"Unang-una po hindi ko ho alam 'yung tungkol sa mga dokumento. Nalaman ko na lang 'yan nu'ng pinakita sa akin dahil hindi po ako nagbabasa ng mga ganyan. Wala po akong alam," Soriano said when asked if there was a truth in the said PDEA documents.

(Firstly, I don't know anything about those documents. I only knew about them when these were shown to me because I don't read those things.)

In her prepared statement, Soriano said she was confused why she was invited to the hearing on the supposed leaked PDEA documents.

"Sa totoo lang po, hindi malinaw sa akin kung bakit ako naimbitahan sa hearing. Nagtataka lang po ako dahil lahat po ng tumestigo dito ay nagsabing hindi na-verify ang impormasyon ni Mr. Morales at walang imbestigasyon na naganap. Pasensya na po kung nalilito po talaga ako dito," Soriano said, referring to ex-PDEA intelligence officer Jonathan Morales, who testified before the Senate panel that he signed the alleged leaked documents linking the President and the actress to illegal drugs.

(In truth, it's not clear to me why I was invited to the hearing. I wondered why all of those who testified were unable to verify Mr. Morales' information. No investigation was conducted. My apologies if I am confused about this.)

In the supposed leaked PDEA pre-operation report dated March 11, 2012, it was indicated that "a group of showbiz and politically affluent personalities are frequently using illegal drugs" inside a condominium in Makati City.

Morales clarified during the continuation of the hearing that there was a typographical error in the report regarding the condominium unit number.

While the management of the condominium refused to disclose the owner of the mentioned unit due to privacy reasons, Soriano confirmed that it was hers, but it was already sold in 2012.

"Opo, hanggang 2012 po. Nabenta ko na ho 'yun. Wala na ako dun," Soriano said.

(Yes, until 2012. That condo unit has been sold. I no longer live there.)

The actress said she could not recall the exact month when the condominium unit was sold and reiterated that it was no longer hers in 2012—the same year that was indicated on the supposed leaked PDEA pre-operation report.

Upon the questioning of Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, chairperson of the Senate panel, Soriano also denied reports that two former household helpers, who lodged serious physical injuries against her, decided to flee from the condominium unit because of the actress' alleged cocaine use.

"Hindi po totoo 'yan (That is untrue)," Soriano explicitly denied.

According to the actress, her former household helpers left because they robbed her.

Asked if she physically abused her former household helpers, Soriano said, "Paano ko naman po bubugbugin dalawa po sila (How can do that when there are two of them)?"

Confidential informant

At the same hearing, Morales said he already forgot the name of the confidential informant who gave him the information on Marcos and Soriano's alleged links to illegal drugs.

This, as his credibility as a resource person was questioned by Senator Jinggoy Estrada.

"Who is this confidential informant?" Estrada asked, to which Morales answered, "Di ko po maalala (I could not remember), your honor."

Estrada was vividly agitated with Morales' reply, saying the latter was destroying the reputation of the individuals that he tagged in the report.

"Anak ng patola! Alam mo ikaw, Morales, nagbabanggit ka ng pangalan ng mga personalidad, ultimo pangalan ng presidente, ultimo pangalan ng iba’t-ibang sikat na artista na wala ka namang ebidensya… Ang sinasabi mo galing sa informant. Ngayon, ang sinasagot mo sa 'kin, hindi mo natatandaan kung sino ang informant mo? Am I correct? Di mo natatandaan? Naninira ka lang ng tao e," the actor-turned-senator said.

(You are disclosing names of personalities, including the President and famous celebrities without any evidence. You are saying that the info came from an informant whose name you cannot recall? You are damaging reputations of other people.)

Morales explained that he just processed the information that his informant gave him and his "motivation" was the photos that were shown to him by the same person.

Even though he knew the persons he saw in the photos, Morales said he still asked further details and context from the confidential informant.

Not on watchlist

PDEA Director General Moro Virgilio Lazo reiterated that Marcos and Soriano were never part of the agency's drug watchlist.

Morales' answers prompted Dela Rosa to ask him if he was just hesitant to disclose the identity of his informant because of the trust between the two of them.

The former PDEA intelligence officer said he was trying to remember the name but to no avail.

When asked by Dela Rosa to disclose the gender of his informant, Morales refused to give a categorical answer, saying that the person will be easily identified and the latter's life might be put in danger if he will answer the senator's question.

But Dela Rosa said that if the confidential informant had already given his sworn statement, then the affidavit will be automatically considered as a public document.

"'Di mo na 'yan matatago. (You cannot hide that.) Ngayon (Now), are you just hesitant to break your code of honor, relationship with the confidential information? Your reputation as a resource person is at stake here," Dela Rosa warned.

Morales said he will reveal the gender if he will be given assurance that he will not be incriminated and he will not violate any constitutional right of the informant.

Dela Rosa even mentioned Morales' online interview on April 30, where the latter supposedly said that, "Dadalhin ko sa hukay ang pangalan ng (I will bring to my grave the name of my) confidential agent."

Morales said he could not recall the exact statement that he made during the interview, reiterating that he could not remember the name of his confidential informant because it happened a long time ago.

Morales was even offered to divulge the gender through an executive session, but the former PDEA intelligence officer said he should be assured that he will not be incriminated.

As the senators failed to get a categorical answer from Morales, Estrada concluded that the former PDEA agent was lying before the committee."

"Alam mo, hindi kapani-paniwala 'yung mga sinasbi mo dahil 'yung ibang detalye alam mo pero 'yung ibang tinatanong namin hindi mo na alam, hindi mo na matandaan. Ultimo 'yung gender ng confidential informant… Ayaw mo sabihin. 'Yung pangalan, nakalimutan mo, pero samantalang 'yung ibang tinatanong way back alam mo," Estrada said.  

(What you are saying is unbelievable. You recall some details and forget some, even the gender of your confidential informant.)

"Alam mo Agent Jonathan, dito, we are ferreting out the truth. Ngayon, kung 'yung sinisiwalat mo panay hearsay, e hindi ka namin pinaniniwalaan...Alam mo, nagsisinungaling ka e. ‘Wag mo naman idadamay 'yung ibang mga personalidad na walang kinalaman," he added.

(If what you will be saying here are all hearsay, we will not believe you. You are lying. Don't drag personalities who are innocent.)

Meanwhile in his opening speech, actor-turned-lawmaker Senator Robin Padilla lamented that his fellows in the show business industry are being dragged in the issue of politics.

"Naaawa po ako sa artista. Kasi ako, banatan ako kaliwa’t kanan ngayon okay lang pumasok ako sa pulitika. 'Di ka pwedeng balat sibuyas dito...Sana sa pagkakataong ngayon ay isipin ng lahat na trabaho ang pag-aarista, hindi ito raket. Imahe. Nabubuhay kami sa magandang imahe. Ang trabaho pumapasok sa amin dahil sa magandang imahe," Padilla, who assisted Soriano in attending the hearing, said.

(I pity our celebrities. If I would be hit right and left, that's okay because I entered politics. Entering show business is a job. We live on good image. We are getting work because of our good image.)

"Ang pakiusap namin huwag sanang magkaroon ng kulay pulitika. Huwag naman. I-save naman ninyo ang mga artista, 'di naman 'yan laruan. Kapag may namatay na artista vine-video pa ng pulis, pambihira. Tapos ilalabas sa internet at social media. Tao din yan, tao rin kami. Sana po kaunting kahit sabi nga ni [Fernando Poe Jr.], kahit kaunting pagtingin," he added.

(We appeal that this should not be tainted by politics. Spare our celebrities, they are not toys.) — VDV/RSJ, GMA Integrated News