Maricel Soriano denies drug links, knowledge of PDEA documents

MANILA, Philippines — Actress Maricel Soriano has denied any knowledge of the supposedly leaked Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) documents linking her and President Marcos to illegal drugs.

During yesterday’s public hearing on the investigation on the so-called PDEA leaks by the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, its chairman Sen. Ronald dela Rosa asked Soriano about the documents that were exposed by a vlogger and went viral.

“In the viral documents that are associated with your name, do you think there is truth in the documents?” Dela Rosa asked Soriano.

Soriano replied: “First of all, I don’t know about the documents. I only knew about that when it was shown to me because I don’t read such things. Ah, I don’t know anything.”

Clad in a white dress, the veteran actress admitted she was nervous being in the Senate premises for the first time.

Dela Rosa asked Soriano: “Are you the owner of unit 46-C Rizal Tower located at Rockwell Barangay Poblacion, Makati City?”

“Yes, until 2012. I had already sold it. I am no longer there,” Soriano answered.

Dela Rosa noted that whistleblower and former PDEA agent Jonathan Morales’ pre-operations document covered the time of the sale of the unit.

“But then you admit that you are the owner and, at the same time, the occupant of such unit, the unit 46-C, in 2012 you sold it?” the senator said, as he inquired about the property’s deed of sale, which Soriano said she would try to locate.

In her opening statement, Soriano apologized as she appeared very tense.

“First of all, I apologize because I’m not used to things like this. You know, it’s the first time I have received an invitation to appear before the Senate. It’s nerve-wracking and scary. To be honest, it’s not clear to me why I was invited to the hearing... I’m sorry if I’m really confused here,” she said.

Dela Rosa also asked Soriano about the veracity of news reports in 2011 that her two former household workers lodged a complaint of serious physical injury against her.

He added that the two workers left her because of her use of cocaine.

Soriano stated that the house helpers left the condominium unit after stealing from her and she could not