The Philippine Star
Tearful Napoles was surrounded by Jesus’ and Virgin Mary’s images during meeting
Businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles (center) at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the “pork barrel” scam in November 2013. PRIB Senate
MANILA, Philippines — The written testimony submitted by alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles has “a lot of details” and signifies her intention to spill more beans and become a state witness, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Tuesday.
In a press conference, De Lima confirmed meeting with suspected “pork barrel” scam mastermind at the Ospital ng Makati before Napoles underwent a surgery for a myoma on her uterus on Monday night.
“There are more details, more information from Mrs. Napoles. … But not everything. Mrs. Napoles appears to know these things. But I cannot share with you the details,” De Lima said.
She also admitted that Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada are tagged in Napoles’ statement.
Asked if Napoles backed the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) plunder charge against the three main respondents in the multi-billion peso embezzlement scheme, De Lima answered, “Yes, absolutely.”
De Lima similarly confirmed that some of the names Napoles disclosed are already respondents in the case submitted before the Office of the Ombudsman, which has elevated the proceedings to the Sandiganbayan.
The justice secretary said that Napoles also disclosed some “documentary evidence” during their five-hour meeting.
De Lima arrived at the hospital around 11 p.m. Monday and left at around 3 a.m. Tuesday.
The justice secretary refused to confirm whether Napoles tagged other senators in the pork barrel fund scam.
De Lima said that she was confident that Napoles’ testimony provides valuable information, but clarified that the alleged scam mastermind still has to undergo further questioning by the National Bureau of Investigation.
“There will be further sessions with her … We need to get those additional facts and details. Ayaw namin sayangin ang pagkakataong ito,” she said.
The official also recounted her conditions for agreeing to meet with Napoles, whom she said has been sending the DOJ “feelers” during the past week.
“To tell all on pork scam. Ayoko na may iba pa siyang kakusapin [and] no commitment to make her state witness,” De Lima said.
De Lima said she entered the hospital room where Napoles was “tearful” and was praying the Rosary. She was also surrounded by images of the Virgin Mary and Jesus.
“Sabi niya she is now coming clean. She was tearful when she saw me,” De Lima recounted.
She believes that detained businesswoman decided to divulge what she knows as she was anxious of her impending operation for myoma.
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RELATED STORY:
Lacson: Other senators also earned from ‘pork scam’
By Ron Gagalac
ABS-CBN News
ABS-CBN News
Former Sen. Panfilo Lacson (File Photo)
MANILA (UPDATED) – Former Senator Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday said he has information that some incumbent senators, other than the 3 already indicted, also amassed money from their pork barrel using alleged fake non-government organizations set up by businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles.
Lacson, now the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery of areas hit by disasters, declined to name the senators involved.
An ABS-CBN News source on Tuesday claimed that at least 19 other senators will be linked by Napoles to pork barrel kickbacks.
“I have an idea based on information that I received, some are still incumbent senators,” he said.
He urged Napoles to disclose their names after she reportedly told Justice Secretary Leila de Lima all that she knows about the pork barrel scam.
De Lima met with Napoles at the Ospital ng Makati from around 10 p.m. Monday to 3 a.m. Tuesday.
“That’s a good thing [Napoles tell-all]…Kung kulang-kulang and we will not make accountable for those who made misdeeds, we are doing the country a disservice,” he said.
“Kung sino ang dapat ma-involve ay dapat ma-involve at ma-indict,” he said.
Lacson said that as early as 2003, he had exposed the pork barrel scam through a privilege speech when he was still a senator.
“I have been detailing the evil in the pork barrel system, 20 percent to this, 5 percent to this agency, 10 percent to that,” Lacson said.
In a press conference Tuesday afternoon, De Lima neither confirmed nor denied the information that Napoles identified 19 other senators involved in pork barrel kickbacks.
“Sino nagsabi nun? I cannot confirm,” she said.
Atty. Bruce Rivera, meanwhile denied the allegation that his client tagged 19 other senators.
“Pinabubulaanan po na may ganung listahan, na may 19. Ayoko po magbigay ng numero kasi hindi naman po talaga iyun ganoon,” Rivera told radio dzMM Tuesday night.
“Ayoko rin pong maglabas ng kahit anong sasabihin, nag-assist po ako sa usapan nila ni Mrs. Napoles, ako po ay walang authority isiwalat po ang laman nito,” he said. “Ang masasabi ko po, kung may naglalabas po na may disinuwebe o 19 senators ay misinformation po iyon.”
Rivera said he can’t divulge what Napoles told De Lima.
“Bilang abugado ni Mrs. Napoles, I am sworn to secrecy sa mga sinabi niya. Hindi po ako bystander doon eh, hindi po ako miron doon sa ginawa niya, ako po iyung lawyer niya na nagexplain sa kanya nung kanyang mga rights. Kaya po bilang isang abugado po, bound po ako na itago, para po akong pari, na itago ang confession ng aking kliyente, kaya po wala po akong puwedeng ilabas,” he explained.
Three opposition senators–Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.–have been indicted by the Ombudsman for plunder and graft in connection with the pork barrel scam. — with reports from Lynda Jumilla and Ina Reformina, ABS-CBN News; Rose Carmelle Lacuata, ABS-CBNNews.com
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