Ombudsman urged to file cases in Sandiganbayan vs pork solons

Issuance of arrest warrants, detention of lawmakers loom

MANILA/SAN FRANCISCO (PhilAmPress) – An association of former Cabinet members and senor officials of the Philippine government has called on the Ombudsman to speed up the filing of charges before the Sandiganbayan against those involved in the multi-billiion-peso pork barrel scam.
The call was made by the Former Senior Government Officials (FSGO) through a manifesto which reached PhilAmPress, a news and features syndicate servicing Filipino media organizations and groups in the United States and Canada launched in 1989 by its officials and then Press Secretary Adolf Azcuna at the Manila Peninsula Hotel.

This developed as the Senate made public a list of about 100 senators, former senators, congressmen, former congressmen, government officials and certain individuals supposedly involved in the scam which was submitted by former Senator Panfilo Lacson who, in turn, got it from Jimmy Napoles, husband of suspected pork barrel queen Janet Lim Napoles.
The list, together with an unsigned draft affidavit and documents, included several allies of President Benigno S.Aquino III led by then congressmen, now Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, and Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Loren Legarda, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Francis Escudero and former Senator Manuel Villar Jr..
Also in the list and unsigned affidavit submitted by Lacson to the Senate are 90 other individuals led by Sens. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, Juan Ponce Enrile and Ramon Revilla Jr., who have been charged with plunder before the Office of the Ombudsman, Vicente Sotto III, Gregorio ‘Gringo’ Honasan II, and the late Senator Robert Barbers. Most of the senators and former senators have vehemently denied accusations against them on the pork scam.
Two other lists, however, surfaced, one of them from whistleblower Benhur Luy himself which has more names and details.
Another list obtained by GMA News listed Sens. Pilar Juliana “Pia” Cayetano,
Manuel “Lito” Lapid, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., and Miriam Defensor-Santiago, and former senators Edgardo Angara; Joker Arroyo, Teresa “Tessie” Aquino-Oreta and Ramon “Jun” Magsaysay Jr.
Records of whistleblower Benhur Luy, meanwhile, showed that 15 incumbent senators had transactions with Napoles, namely, Enrile, Revilla Jr., Estrada, Marcos, Sotto, Defensor-Santiago, Honasan, Legarda, Pimentel III, Manuel “Lito” Lapid, Cynthia Villar, JV Ejercito, Franklin Drilon, Ralph Recto and Alan Peter Cayetano.
Also in the records of Luy transmitted and reported by Philippines Daily Inquirer were the names of former Senators Edgardo Angara, Manuel Villar Jr, Teresita Oreta, Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel, Rodolfo Biazon, Robert Jaworski, Robert Barbers, Ma. Luisa “Loi” Estrada, Ramon Magsaysay and Ramon Revilla Sr.
Following the making in public of several lists, a Napoles lawyer said some of those named in the lists are not in the final list of Napoles, adding that any unsigned list or affidavit is mere scrap of paper, the same line adopted by Malacanang.
Secretary Leila de Lima, meanwhile, admitted on Wednesday that Napoles has submitted a new and signed affidavit on the pork barrel scam.
De Lima said Napoles has turned over an “initial affidavit” that contained information about the scam that has rocked the government since last year.
De Lima said the affidavit turned over to her office on Monday also included information about the Malampaya Fund scam, which investigators said involved more than P900-million state funds diverted to bogus non-government organizations allegedly created by Napoles.
“It was a signed and duly executed affidavit though an initial one,” de Lima said. The affidavit, she added, contained the names of lawmakers such as senators Ramon Revilla Jr., Jinggoy Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile and others who were the first to be indicted for plunder, graft and malversation of public funds due to the scam.
The FSGO manifesto was signed by its members led by spokespersons former Environment Secretary Fulgencio Factoran, former Education Secretary Edilberto de Jesus and fomer Education Undersecretary Isagani Cruz, according to an email from FilAm leader and journalist Greg Macabenta .

The group reiterated its call to the Ombudsman to hasten the filing of charges in court against officials “who have betrayed the public trust in the matter of the PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) scam.”

“The delay feeds the growing disillusionment of the public with our national government due to media reports about various lists of legislators involved in scandals,” the group said. “We should not assume that all legislators used funds intended for the benefit of their constituents and the country to serve personal interests. Wholesale condemnation of all legislators, even without concrete evidence of corruption despite the principle that everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty erodes public confidence in our political institutions.”
“ We call on all Senators and Congressional Representatives, past and present, to arrest this erosion of confidence by voluntarily disclosing where they assigned their PDAF funds. Such disclosures can easily be posted on the Web,” the group added..
“We also ask the Executive Branch to make this information accessible to the Public. The people have the right to know how government money is being spent. Transparency on PDAF transactions will help persuade our people that the government is capable of reforming itself,” the group stressed.
Meanwhile, it appears Senate President Franklin Drilon and police authorities have started preparing for the possible arrest and detention of several persons led by Senators Enrile, Estrada and Revilla Jr. who are charged with plunder in connection with the alleged multi-billion-peso pork barrel scam.

This surfaced as a top official of the Philippine National Police (PNP) was seen early this week leaving the office of Senator Drilon while another PNP official declared that the PNP is ready to accommodate Enrile, Estrada and Revilla at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame once the Sandiganbayan orders their arrest and detention there.

This developed as Sen. Teofisto Guingona, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, made public a list and a draft 30-page affidavit of alleged pork scam queen Janet Lim Napoles submitted to him by former Senator Panfilo Lacson which named Budget Secretary Florencio Abad as the alleged “brain” of the pork scam, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, 11 senators and former senators, 69 congressmen and former congressmen and other personalities as allegedly involved in the pork barrel scam. Earlier, Guingona and Drilon, responding to pressures, issued a subpoena to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima for her to turnover the list and affidavit submitted to her by Napoles at the Ospital ng Makati.

It was made clear that the supposed draft affidavit of Napoles turned over by Lacson was unsigned and the list not also signed and supported by documents and, therefore, were inadmissible in court proceedings that may ensure on the plunder scam.

It was reported that an affidavit submitted by Napoles to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima was signed when turned over at the Ospital ng Makati but the affidavit and other supposed supporting documents have not been turned over to the Senate which had subpoenaed de Lima for the documents.

According to the unsigned affidavit from Lacson, Abad, then a congressman, was introduced to Napoles. “In 2000, Butch Abad was introduced to JLN (Janet Lim-Napoles). Abad was lent by JLN money which was returned with interest. When JLN asked how the money earned, she was introduced to foundations. JLN got curious and eventually JLN was taught how to form foundations. She bought the Philippine Social Development Foundation Inc. (PDSFI) to be able to comply with the requirement that a non-government organization (NGO) has a track record,” the unsigned document stated.

Abad vehemently denied the supposed Napoles allegation, pointing out that he does not know Napoles and has never dealt with her. President Aquino supported Abad as Malacanang released a statement expressing confidence in Abad and that he will stay as budget secretary.

Abad maintained that he was not involved in the pork barrel scam, stressing that any attempts linking him to the scheme is part of a plan to bring down the administration.

In a statement, Abad reiterated that he has never dealt with alleged pork scam brains Janet Lim-Napoles in any capacity.

“I have never dealt with Janet Lim Napoles or any of her fake NGOs in any way throughout my career in public service: either as representative of Batanes, as Budget and Management Secretary, or as an official of any other public office that has been entrusted to me,” Abad said.

Luy’s records also showed that Enrile, Revilla and Estrada were Napoles’ longtime clients, the Inquirer report also stated, adding that Enrile purported used P683 million from 2004 to 2012, Revilla allegedly used a total of P1.2 billion, with Estrada allegedly topping them all with P1.6 billion.

Neophyte Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito, who was berated by his father former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada for signing a Senate panel report recommending the filing of plunder and other charges against his half-brother Senator Estrada, Enrile and Revilla, is also on the list as one of the 69 former and incumbent congressmen and congresswomen who allegedly received kickbacks from the priority development assistance fund (PDAF) they released to the bogus non-government organizations (NGOs) of Napoles. Ejercito denied the allegation.

Aside from Abad, in the list are former Partylist Congressman and now Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Chairman Joel Villanueva, and former Pampanga Congressman Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo, son of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Other former and incumbent congressmen on the list include: Jesus Judin Romualdo, Banzai Nieva, Isidro Ungab, Reynaldo Umali, Salacnib Baterina, Conrado Estrella, Raymond Estrella, Victor Ortega, Niel Benedict Montejo, Arthur Pinggoy, Samuel Dangwa, Florencio Flores, Erwin Chiongbian, Erico Fabian, Florencio Miraflores, Napoleon Beration, Rickey Sandoval, Max Rodriguez, Rufus Rodriguez, Rizalina Seachon Lanete, Edgard Valdez, Scott Davies Lanete, Rafael Nantes, Sunny Rose Madamba, Ruffy Biazon, Gerald Gullas, Carlos Padilla, Rodolfo Plaza, Arnulfo Fuentebella, Raul del Mar, Rommel Amatong, Marc Douglas Cagas, Digaden Dilangalen, Iggy Arroyo, Rodolfo Valencia, Eduardo Zialcita and Nanette Castelo Daza.

Also listed as former and incumbent congressmen are Constantino Jaraula, Clavel Martinez, Manuel Ortega, Peter Falcon, Isidro Real, Corazon Malanyaon, Narciso Monfort, Uliran Joaquin, Joaquin Chipeco, Abdullah Dimaporo, Ernesto Pablo, Marcelino Libanan, Rolex Suplico, Benasing Macambon Jr., Jesnar Falcon, Nasser Pangandaman, Hussein Pangandaman, Boy Umali, Bagatsing, Malapitan, Ecleo, Olano, Jesli Lapuz, Oca Rodriguez, Alvarado, Tulagan and Nograles.

Those listed from the government agencies are Allan Umali and Ofelia Agawin, Teresita Panlilio and Narciso Nieto of Department of Agriculture; Alexis Sevidal of National Livelihood Development Corp. (NLDC); Antonio Ortiz and Deniss Cunanan of Technology Resource Center (TRC); and Rhodora Mendoza of National Agribusiness Corp. (Nabcor).

Also in the list are supposed agents of Napoles, namely, Ruby Tuazon, Bryan Yasmuan, Jen Corpuz, Mat Ranillo, Pauline Labayen, Catherine Mae ‘Maya’ Santos, Patricia ‘Gay’ Agana Tan, Alen Ruste and Mon Arcenas.

Before submitting the list which was handed by Janet Napoles’ husband Jimmy and relatives, Lacson warned that the 24-member Senate might collapse if the Napoles affidavit purportedly naming current and former lawmakers involved in the alleged pork barrel scam was made public.

In the same draft affidavit, Napoles insisted on her innocence in the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam. In her unsigned affidavit, Napoles did not admit to any wrongdoing believing that her business was legitimate.

“Honorable Ombudsman, please understand my situation. I am a simple person who wanted to earn for my family. As a person who is only a high school graduate, I then sincerely believe that what I am doing is a legitimate and righteous business,” the affidavit stated.

Aside from the list, Lacson also submitted to Guingona a 30-page draft affidavit of Napoles and the narration of events.

”I hope that these documents will assist the investigation being conducted by your Committee and address the clamor of our people for transparency in public service,” Lacson said in his letter addressed to Guingona.

Contrary to reports, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago was not on the list, also called the Lacson’s list. Santiago called Lacson an attack dog of Enrile, saying “the Napoles list, if unsigned, has no evidentiary value at all.”

Lacson later however said that Santiago is in the list of Benhur Luy.

On the alleged preparation for the arrest and detention of those involved in the scam, Drilon denied meeting the PNP official identified as Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Benjamin Magalong at his Senate office but sources insisted the two met for almost an hour. Media men reported meeting Magalong after emerging from Drilon’s office and even asked him some questions.

Magalong said he was “summoned” to the meeting but refused to reveal what they discussed.

In Camp Crame, PNP Public Information Office Chief Superintendent Rueben Theodore Sindac said the PNP to execute an order from the court pertaining to the plunder case.

“We are ready to execute an order from the court if directed,”Sindac said.

Sindac said the PNP Custodial Center could still accommodate additional detainees if the Sandiganbayan orders the three senators’ detention at Camp Crame.

Arrangements for the serving of arrest warrants of some of the embattled senators are now under way, it was learned.