'Grieving' Gen. Villanueva denies receiving 'pabaon, pasalubong'

Against the advice of his family and friends, retired Gen. Diomedio Villanueva appeared before the Senate on Friday to deny the allegations that he received pay-offs while serving as military chief of staff. Before Villanueva read his opening statement, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada extended his condolences to the former military chief, who recently lost his wife. "I was actually told by my family and concerned friends and even my legal counsel that it would be best considering my emotional and physical state to decline the invitation and request the deferment of my appearance," Villanueva said. He said his friends and family insisted that they first accord Villanueva's deceased wife enough time to pay their last respects, before participating in the Senate inquiry. However, Villanueva said he refused to heed his family and friends' advice because he wanted to "face squarely the allegations hurled at me." "I owe it not only to my honor and my family but to the AFP, the institution that I faithfully served for 38 years," he added. Villanueva served as AFP chief from March 2001 to May 2002. The former AFP chief then went on to read his statement denying allegations made by former budget officer Col. George Rabusa that he was among top-ranking military generals who had benefited from so-called pabaon and pasalubong system. "I deny the claims that I received pasalubong or welcome gifts as I assumed as chief of staff," he said. He also denied ever receiving P5 million monthly in allowance much less the mind-bloggling amount of P160 million in pabaon. Villanueva said since he retired, he has been relying - not on any "pabaon" - but on his "modest" retirement pay, as well from the income of his children. In his testimony, Villanueva also said that apart from "pleasantries," he has never had any official or unofficial meeting with Rabusa while the latter was still in the service. Villanueva, however, added that after his retirement, Rabusa had approached him to ask for financial assistance. "I tried to help him with my limited means... I believed then and now that this was the proper thing to do," he said. Villanueva said Rabusa was asking for P1 million, but the latter could only extend around P15,000 or P20,000. – VVP, GMA News