Jinggoy to grill Ligot's wife during Senate corruption probe

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada said he is all set to question the wife of former military comptroller Lt. Gen. Jacinto Ligot when she finally decides to show for the Senate's inquiry on the alleged corruption in the military on Thursday. In an interview with reporters on Wednesday, Estrada said he will ask Erlinda Ligot how she amassed more than P700 million and pricey realty purchases in the United States during the stint of her husband in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). "Her presence is very, very vital tomorrow. Because her husband cannot answer... she should be the one to answer for all those properties that she purchased while her husband is in power," Estrada said. Jacinto Ligot was the predecessor of Carlos Garcia, who is also accused of amassing more than P300 million in state funds while he was still in service. Estrada had earlier said that Ligot could face plunder charges in connection with his wife's unexplained acquisition of homes in the United States, as well as multi-million peso bank transactions in his name. However, after Jacinto Ligot denied any knowledge about the properties, the Senate subpoenad his wife for questioning. Estrada also wondered why former Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo did not file any charges against Ligot and why the charges filed against Garcia were "very, very weak." "Kaya I cannot blame (Ombudsman Gutierrez) Merceditas. Kasi if you file a weak case, malamang ma-acquit ka (That's why I cannot blame Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, because if you file a weak case, you'll probably be acquitted)," he said. In an advisory, the Senate blue ribbon committee said they have invited to Thursday's Senate inquiry on the corruption scandal Justice Sec. Leila de Lima, Garcia, former AFP chiefs of staff Gen. Diomedio Villanueva, Gen. Roy Cimatu, Gen. Efren Abu, Ligot, former budget officer Lt. Col. George Rabusa, Defense chief Voltaire Gazmin, other military officials, state auditors and Commission and Audit officials. In a text message to GMA News Online, blue ribbon committee chairman Senator Teofisto Guingona III said they invited De Lima to testify and bring records on the tax evasion case against Ligot and his wife's brother Edgardo Yambao. - VVP, GMA News