Aquino: State witness aspirants should return stolen funds

Senator Bam Aquino on Tuesday said individuals seeking protection under the Witness Protection Program or aspiring to become state witnesses should return any stolen public funds.

“Pagdating sa pagbabalik ng pera, tama ba na puwede itong gawing kondisyon sa pagpasok sa Witness Protection Program o pagiging state witness? O hindi kasama ang usapin ng pagbabalik ng pera? (When it comes to returning the money, is it correct that it can be made a condition for entering the Witness Protection Program or becoming a state witness? Or does the issue of returning the money not included?)” Aquino asked Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla during a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on alleged irregularities in flood control projects.

“Palagay ko iyan ang hinihintay ng maraming tao. Kung mayroong mag-i-state witness, mahalaga na maibalik ang pera na ninakaw sa ating bayan (I think that's what a lot of people are waiting for. If someone is going to testify, it's important to return the money that was stolen from our country),” he added.

Remulla responded that while restitution is typically ordered by courts, the Department of Justice also considers it a sign of good faith when evaluating the credibility of a potential witness.

“Kasi kung gusto nilang maprotektahan, dapat iyong full good faith, isosoli talaga nila (Because if they want to be protected, they must be in full good faith, they will really return [the money]),” he continued.

"Wala iyan sa patakaran, pero isang test po kung reliable po ang witness o hindi (That's not in the rules, but it's a test of whether the witness is reliable or not)."