Enrile 'betrayal' no surprise: analyst

MANILA - A political analyst believes the alleged move of Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile to distance himself from the P10 billion pork barrel scam is not surprising. Political scientist and visiting professor Benjamin Muego said some of those linked to the pork scam would likely create diversionary tactics to draw attention away from themselves. "Kung nagkakagulo yun ang human nature na tinatawag. Gumagawa ng smokescreens paminsan-minsan para ma deflect yung attention dun sa central issue," he said. He particularly cited Sen. Jinggoy Estrada's threat that he will expose officials of the Executive branch who also benefited in the pork scam. "Sasabihin siguro ng taumbayan, kaya nagsasabi ng ganyan para makalusot. Siguro kung sisiraan niyo kami, sisiraan namin kayo," Muego said. "Wag pakakawalan dahil kung mag-relax ang tao at yung attention ay medyo kumukupas na e di siguro mawawala na rin yan kagaya ng fertilizer scam," he added. Estrada, Enrile and Sen. Bong Revilla Jr. are facing plunder charges before the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly funnelling their pork barrel allocations to fake non-governmental organizations. All three senators have denied any links to the scam. Atty. Gigi Reyes, the former chief of staff of Enrile, earlier said she felt betrayed following statements by Enrile's lawyer that the senator "did not give his blessings" to the actions taken by Reyes with respect to his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/09/21/13/gigi-reyes-hits-enrile-camps-betrayal "If indeed these statements are sanctioned by or coming from my former boss, then nothing can be worse than this kind of travesty and betrayal," she said in a statement posted on Facebook.