Cimatu denies asking money for spy plane

By Christian V. Esguerra Philippine Daily Inquirer

Former Chief of Staff General Roy Cimatu has denied ordering whistleblower George Rabusa to produce $2 million for the purchase of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in 2001.

MANILA, Philippines – Former Chief of Staff General Roy Cimatu has denied ordering whistleblower George Rabusa to produce $2 million for the purchase of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in 2001.

Rabusa, a former military budget officer, alleged he got the instructions from Cimatu, then the deputy chief of staff, during a meeting on the military equipment.

“I was just in one corner and all of a sudden I was asked, ‘Can we produce $2 million in one week?’” he recalled in Filipino.

But Cimatu rebuffed Rabusa. “I deny that. It’s not within my nature,” he said in Filipino.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile told Rabusa that the UAV purchase required no contract or bidding because it was an intelligence project.