Senate to Ligots: Answer queries on AFP corruption or be cited for contempt

The Senate blue ribbon committee said former military budget official Maj. Gen. Jacinto Ligot and wife Erlinda should answer the senators inquiries on military corruption or they would be cited for contempt. In an interview with reporters on Wednesday, Senate ProTempore Jinggoy Estrada said they have already signed the minutes of the meeting where they decided to give the Ligots another chance to answer questions related to corruption in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Estrada said the committee will cite the Ligots in contempt if they will again keep invoking their right against self incrimination as they did in during the senate inquiry on Monday. He said the Ligots have to attend the hearing of the committee on Thursday. "We will give them another chance to answer our questions, if they will improperly invoke their right against self incrimination then the committee chairman will automatically cite them in contempt," Estrada said. He said there is no need for another motion and voting as the committee has already decided on it during their caucus. The senators on Monday failed to act on the motion to cite the Ligots in contempt for refusing to answer questions during an investigation on military corruption. Estrada said the senators decided in a caucus to study the matter very carefully as it involves the rights of the Ligot couple. At least 10 senators attended the caucus. Earlier on Monday, the Senate failed to get any information from Mrs. Ligot who repeatedly refused to answer questions and often invoked her right against self incrimination. She answered questions on her age, her college degree, her job, her children, their ages, the date of their marriage. However, for security reasons, she did not answer the question on where they are staying as they were reportedly receiving death threats. When Estrada asked Mrs. Ligot if she went to the United States, the latter invoked her right against self incrimination. On inquiries about the Ligots' supposed properties in Cabernet and Stanton, California, Mrs. Ligot invoked her right against self incrimination. She also refused to confirm that it was her signature that appeared in the documents on the two properties. She also refused to give a specimen signature to compare with the one on the documents. – VVP, GMA News