Kapamilya soap opera queen Judy Ann Santos has once again rallied to the side of her “Ate,” Megastar Sharon Cuneta who recently drew flak anew after defending her husband, former senator Kiko Pangilinan, from being dragged into the controversial P10-billion Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam through a series of tweets that she has since deleted.
During his privilege speech on Wednesday, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, one of the legislators currently facing plunder charges due to his purported involvement in the massive scam, lamented how the Commission on Audit has been seemingly biased in highlighting irregularities in the fund disbursement of government officials, among them allegedly were those of the Megastar’s husband.
While the speech was ongoing, the actress took to her Twitter account her surprise and at the same time fury as she defended her husband from the nasty accusation.
“If anyone reading this can prove to me that my husband has stolen any amount from his PDAF in his 12 years as senator, I will give you P10 million in cash and I will leave my husband.
“That is how confident I am. Sorry, HINDI KAMI MAGNANAKAW,” posted the Megastar on Wednesday.
As one of the closest friends of the seasoned actress, Juday, during the press conference of her upcoming game show Bet On Your Baby on Thursday, has underscored that if she were put in the same situation as her Ate Sharon, she would probably be feeling the exact same thing.
“Ako I understand what Ate Sharon is going through kasi asawa siya di ba? Ako man dumaan man si Ryan [Agoncillo] halimbawa sa ganyang sitwasyon at alam ko sa sarili ko na hindi ganyan ang asawa ko magpupuyos naman din ang dibdib ko,” she explained.
Juday continued and said she sees nothing wrong that the outspoken Megastar made her disappointment publicly known, saying that, “Intindihin natin na sa bawat partner ng mga politicians, especially yung mga may paraan para ilabas ang saloobin nila… Karapatan natin yun para magsabi ng sama ng loob.”
Juday added that we live in a democratic country where virtually everyone has a right to air their grievances about certain matters, it’s just that, “Nama-magnify lang kasi artista pero I guess halimbawa ordinaryong tao ang gagawa nu’n hindi papansinin, baka suportahan pa.”
PDAF scam
Juday, who was just cleared from her P3.4-million tax evasion case early this year, also expressed dismay over the existence of a pork barrel scam, wherein the funds that are supposedly for public consumption were allegedly pocketed by conniving legislators, agencies, and private individuals.
“Ang sa akin lang, bakit naging ganito? Bakit umabot sa ganito? Dapat hindi. Sa akin bilang mamamayang Pilipino lahat naman tayo bilang nagtatrabaho, may karapatan tayong magbayad ng tax at responsibility natin yun. Pero sa kabilang banda, feeling ko right din naman natin at may responsibilidad rin naman tayong malaman kung saan ba napupunta yang mga taxes,” she said.
What saddens her the most, Juday said, was the fact that that she was among the millions of Filipino taxpayers who made an effort to perform her duty in paying her taxes accordingly.
“Kasi kakatapos lang nung kaso ko eh. Saan napunta yung binayad ko? Parang inipon ko ng ilang taon yun. May sarili akong account para mabayaran ko yung kaso ko ng matapos na siya, siyempre yung puso mo parang gustong sumabog kasi dugo, pawis at literal na luha ang involved dyan,” she underscored.
With the recent calamities and the ongoing siege in Zamboanga, for Juday, the P10-billion pesos involved in the scam could have been put to a far better use. “Though wala naman tayong [buong idea] dahil hindi pa klaro kung ano ba talaga ang nangyayari but well aware naman tayo na nanakawan tayo ng malaking halaga at hindi ito basta basta pera. Yung 10 billion ang daming pera [nu’n at ang dami] ng pwedeng magawa dun ah,” blurted the award-winning actress.
Many celebs have weighed in on this issue which has been linked to the showbiz industry due to the simple fact that two of the three senators charged with plunder last Monday are celebrities, namely: Sen. Jinggoy and Sen. Bong Revilla Jr.
Asked what her reaction was that celebrities are involved in this controversy, Juday, pleaded with the public, as well as the presiding officials of the investigations, to just “disregard” the fact that they are celebrities but rather to just rechannel their energies and efforts in resolving the case as quick as possible. “‘Wag ng tagalan yung proseso, bilisan na natin yung pag po-proseso ano kasi ang dami ng dumarating na bagyo at kung ano-anong calamities. Ang sa akin lang, let’s get to the bottom of this. Let’s finish this already and hanapan na ng solusyon. Stop pinpointing and solusyunan na kasi the more na pinapatagal the more na tayong ninanakawan,” she ended.
