Rabusa said he was preparing an affidavit detailing a fraudulent military transaction that cost the government some $2 million and would implicate Arroyo, now the representative of Pampanga’s second district.

He said the project took place when Gen. Diomedio Villanueva was AFP chief of staff, Roy Cimatu was vice chief of staff and Carlos Garcia was military comptroller, and that he would reveal the details when he had completed the affidavit.

Rabusa said the change in the political environment under the Aquino administration had convinced him that it was finally time to come forward.

In the meantime, Rabusa wants the government to take him in as a state witness on the strength of his testimony at a seven-hour hearing conducted by the Senate blue ribbon committee on Thursday.

At the hearing, the first in an inquiry into the controversial plea bargain between Garcia and state prosecutors, Rabusa claimed that former Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes received some P150 million, including a P50-million retirement gift (“pabaon”), when the latter was the AFP chief of staff.

Rabusa also said he had worked closely with Garcia in collecting cash from various military agencies to raise an annual payola pot of around P480 million.

He said Reyes and other top military officials, as well as beneficiaries outside the AFP such as defense reporters and a House legislative office, partook of the monthly collection.

‘Nothing to lose’

Sen. Teofisto Guingona III, chair of the Senate blue ribbon committee, on Friday said Rabusa’s testimony could boost the government’s plunder case against Garcia and prevent the implementation of his plea bargain.

Rabusa, who has been provided security by the Senate, said he was more than willing to testify against Garcia and Reyes in the event that a case was formally filed against the latter.

“I started this so I need to finish it. I won’t turn my back on this. I have nothing to lose. I’ve lost everything already, including fear,” he said.

Rabusa has a pending perjury case for allegedly misdeclaring his wealth in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth. He is said to have amassed around P50 million during his stint as Garcia’s budget officer.

Sen. Francis Escudero said the blue ribbon committee should expand its investigation to cover “all former chiefs” of the AFP in connection with Rabusa’s testimony.

But Guingona said these retired officials would just issue denials in the absence of new revelations from Rabusa or new witnesses.

‘Very credible’

Rabusa’s exposé is highly believable because he served in the military comptrollership office for a long time until he retired in 2007, according to Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr., the spokesperson of the AFP.

“Coming from somebody from the comptroller family, his allegations may be deemed very credible,” said Mabanta who, like Rabusa, is a 1981 graduate of the Philippine Military Academy.

Rabusa was elected president of PMA Class of 1981 but was replaced after being slapped with graft charges. The cases are still pending.

He served as military budget officer from 2000 to 2002. He retired from the military in 2007, when he made an unsuccessful run as mayor of Sogod, Southern Leyte.

Mabanta said Rabusa could barely speak a few months ago because of a stroke. He testified at the Senate inquiry on Thursday while seated on a wheelchair.

Coming out

Rabusa said he had wanted to come forward as early as 2005. He recalled that a former classmate, then Iloilo Rep. Rolex Suplico, had tried to arrange a meeting between him and a group of opposition congressmen that included the future President, Tarlac Rep. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

He said he was considered a possible witness in the impeachment complaint against Arroyo that year.

Around two years later, Rabusa was to have met with ousted President Joseph Estrada, then under house arrest in Tanay, Rizal, to reveal what he knew about military corruption.

But none of the planned meetings ever took place because, Rabusa said, he was constantly being “monitored” by the Intelligence Service of the AFP (Isafp).

He said that before the scheduled meeting with Estrada, he received a call from then Isafp chief Leonardo Calderon who purportedly demanded to know why he was seeing the ousted President.

Christian Esguerra, Phil. Daily Inquirer