Filipino-American philanthropist Loida Nicolas-Lewis听on Thursday听denied former Senator Jinggoy Estrada鈥檚 claim that she turned 鈥渁nti-Erap鈥� when she failed to buy the Philippine National Bank (PNB) during former President Joseph Estrada鈥檚 term.
Estrada, in an interview with reporters, claimed that Lewis 鈥渟tarted the anti-Erap crusade鈥� when the Department of Finance allegedly found that she, upon evaluation of her finances, was 鈥渘ot qualified to make the purchase.鈥�
But in a Facebook message to听, Lewis explained that it was her who had withdrawn from the bidding process in the PNB acquisition after her potential bank partner withdrew.
Lewis also said that she could not have started the anti-Estrada campaign since she herself had 鈥渃ampaigned for him in the 1998 elections.鈥�
鈥淛inggoy has a fertile imagination to say what he said about the PNB deal. The auction rule says that only banks and financial institutions are eligible to make a bid for PNB,鈥� the Filipino-American philanthropist said.
鈥淎t the last minute, the night before the submission of bids, my potential bank partner withdrew. So as an individual, I was not eligible and had to withdraw from the bidding process,鈥� she explained.
搁贰础顿:听Jinggoy bares story on Loida Lewis鈥� failed bid to buy PNB
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Lewis is the national chairperson of the US Pinoys for Good听Governance (USPGG), the group that reportedly denied having sent an invitation to former senator Estrada and have him speak听before its members in Michigan on听May 20.
Estrada claimed that Lewis 鈥渋nterfered in the affairs of the (USPGG鈥檚) local chapter鈥� which resulted into the purported revocation of his invitation to attend the organization鈥檚 event.
The USPGG, in an earlier statement, said William Dechavez, chair of the USPGG Michigan听chapter, 鈥渄id not invite Jinggoy Estrada to speak in Michigan under听USPGG nor was any program planned by USPGG Michigan.鈥�
搁贰础顿:听No invitation for Jinggoy Estrada to speak in US, says group
The statement added that a certain Tony Antonio had asked Dechavez听to invite Estrada. Dechavez supposedly told Antonio that 鈥渋t could only听be done in his personal capacity, not as chair of USPGG Michigan.鈥�
The purported USPGG invitation was the basis of a decision by the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division to grant Estrada鈥檚 request for a month-long trip to the United States with his family.听听听 /muf