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Bulacan gov can't attend Senate 'cash gifts' probe


Bulacan Governor Joselito 'Jonjon' Mendoza will not be able to attend the Senate probe on cash gifts allegedly distributed in Malacanang to administration allies, radio station dzBB reported Tuesday. Mendoza said he will be attending an education summit which had also been scheduled for Wednesday. The radio report quoted Mendoza as saying his absence does not mean he refused to testify before the Senate on the cash gift distribution. He promised to attend the next Senate hearing on the issue. He also denied that he is being gagged by Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) whose members earlier admitted giving and receiving the cash gifts. For his part, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, chairman of Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, said he already accepted Mendoza’s reason for not attending the hearing. He said the committee will focus on the testimony of Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio who was the first to expose receiving P500,000 cash contained in a brown paper bag during a meeting at Malacanang. Cayetano said they will determine from Panlilio’s testimony the other personalities they will call. He said he will set another hearing date if they will decide to call Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno on the allegations of Sen. Panfilo Lacson that the cash gifts were sourced from the fund of Philippine National Police. He also said the committee will welcome the participation of any congressmen who wanted to testify on the cash gifts issue. - GMANews.TV

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