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orruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigators grilled on Wednesday former energy and mineral resources minister Jero Wacik in connection to allegations that he was the mastermind behind payoffs to the House of Representatives to ease the deliberation of his office budget in 2013.

Jero was implicated in the case for his decision to reportedly instruct his former secretary-general, Waryono Karno, who has been named a suspect in the case, to collect money from agencies under the supervision of the ministry, such as the Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKKMigas) and state-owned oil and gas giant Pertamina, to be given to members of the House of Representatives Commission VII on energy.

The former chairman of Commission VII, Sutan Bhatoegana, has also been named a suspect in the case, but the status of Jero, who has also been implicated in a separate graft case handled by the KPK, remains a witness.

After questioning, Jero confirmed that KPK investigators wanted confirmation about his role in the bribery case, and said that: '€œI was questioned as a witness to complete Waryono'€™s dossiers. Investigators asked if I was aware that House lawmakers asked for money from Pak Waryono. I told them that I knew nothing about it,'€ Jero said.

Jero, who resigned as minister after being declared a suspect for allegedly instructing his subordinates to collect illegal levies, also said that investigators interrogated him about the ministry'€™s 2013 budget.

'€œOther questions asked by investigators were how to arrange a budget and how to decide how much of a budget we needed and other procedural things,'€ Jero said.

Jero'€™s denial is in contrast to that of court testimony by witnesses during the trial last year of former SKKMigas chief Rudi Rubiandi, who was convicted of graft and money laundering, in which it was revealed that Waryono, allegedly at the behest of Jero, had instructed staffer Ego Syahrial to collect US$140,000 from SKKMigas to be given to Sutan.

It has become common practice for state agencies under the supervision of ministries to be used as cash cows.

KPK spokesman Priharsa Nugraha declined to confirm if Jero would soon be named a suspect in the case. '€œHe was questioned in his capacity as a witness in the case,'€ Priharsa said.

Last Friday, the KPK declared Jero a suspect in another graft case.

He was named a suspect for his alleged role in embezzling Rp 7 billion ($546,000) from his office when serving as culture and tourism minister between 2008 and 2011.

'€œWith regard to the new charges, he has been accused of violating articles 2 and 3 of Law No. 30/1999 on corruption,'€ Priharsa said.

When asked about the second graft case, Jero rushed to his car and sped off.