‘Don’t Lie’, Miriam Warns Napoles

Alleged ‘Pork Barrel’ scam brains Janet Lim-Napoles on Thursday morning attended her first Senate hearing before the blue ribbon committee. Arriving under heavy security, Napoles defiantly faced her accusers, all of whom her former employees who squealed on her alleged pork scam operation. Napoles consistently denied the whistleblowers’ allegations.

Blue Ribbon Committee chair TG Guingona asked Napoles to react to her whistleblower’s charges where Benhur Luy, a Napoles’ relative, retorted later as saying “she’s Lying,” Gma news online report said.

Reports added the alleged pork scam brain said it is not true that she ordered her employees to create non-government organizations to serve as conduits for lawmakers’ pork barrel funds.

Senator Guingona has invited whistleblowers Benhur Luy, Gertrudes Luy, Marina Sula, Merlina Suñas, Simonette Briones and Mary Arlene Baltazar to attend the hearing. After privately conferring with her Senate-appointed lawyers for about 30 minutes, Napoles initially refused to answer questions regarding her businesses.

The blue ribbon chair asked Napoles about the nature of her JLN corporation’s trading business but Napoles replied “May kaso na po sa BIR [Bureau of Internal Revenue]. Dun na lang sasagutin kung ano ‘yung tine-trade namin.”

Then came her series of denials, saying she did not order the whistleblowers to form non-government organizations to launder ill-gotten wealth sourced from public funds, Gma news online reported on Thursday.

When asked by Guingona why she was denying the statements of the whistleblowers, Napoles asked if she can get the copies of the affidavits to show to her lawyers.

Napoles answered “Hindi ko alam. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang gusto nila sabihin. Tutal nademanda na nila ‘yan sa Ombudsman.”

Napoles also denied that the address of the NGOs were in her properties. She said “Nagulat ako (na nasa properties ko yan). Me kaso na sa Ombudsman dun ko na lang sasagutin.”

Napoles added “Si Benhur ang nagrerehistro ng mga properties kaya alam niya yung mga address namin.”

Napoles likewise denied the kickbacks being offered and given to lawmakers. “Nakakaawa yung mga senador na nada-drag ang pangalan dito e hindi naman totoo,” she said.

Benhur Luy countered Napoles saying since he started working at JLN Corporation in 2002, the businesswoman already had transactions with the government.

“Nakikita ko na sa ledger may nakalagay na mga porsyento doon,” Luy said.

Luy claimed the proof of the transactions were seen in bank to bank documents, affidavits with specific account numbers ad endorsement letters.

When asked if she (Napoles) knows those lawmakers mentioned in the affidavit of the whistleblowers, Napoles said she knows those senators because they are public figures but they do not know her. Amid Napoles’ denials, Luy said he will not have the records of the transactions if the trader did not order him to keep it, Gma news online said.

Grilled

Although not feeling well, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago attended Thursday’s Senate blue ribbon committee hearing and quizzed Janet Lim-Napoles.

Senator Santiago reminded Napoles that she can not just invoke her right against self-incrimination, especially if the reasons are “merely trifling hazards” to her, Gma news online report said.

“Kaya hindi puwede na lahat na lang, ‘Baka masangkot ako.’ May mga guidelines iyan,” Santiago said.

Santiago explained the Philippine version of the right against self-incrimination has a wider scope (“mas malawak”) than its counterpart in the US.

“Masuwerte ka [Napoles], hindi ka binista sa Amerika,” Santiago said.

Senator Santiago added “I will not bully you. I will not attempt to outshout you, so i hope you will give me the same courtesy.”

Santiago, a lawyer, opined that only those who could not afford getting the services of a lawyer are entitled to avail the services of a lawyer from the Public Attorneys Office.

Santiago also reminded Napoles that while she is entitled to deny accusations against her, she is not supposed to lie under oath.

“I remind you… Magkaiba iyong ayaw ko magsagot at iba ang magsinungaling ka sa harap ng senador,” Santiago said.

Santiago is still grilling Napoles on the alleged anomaly, as of 2 pm Thursday, Gma news online reported.

Source: Gma news online