Abad demolishes Napoles’ contentions in affidavit
MANILA, Philippines—Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad on Wednesday maintained his stand that he never dealt with detained businesswoman and alleged pork barrel mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.
“I have never dealt with Janet Lim-Napoles in any manner, much less through an agent or a middle man,” Abad said in an interview over Radyo Inquirer 990AM.
In her sworn affidavit submitted to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Napoles said she met with then congressman Abad through a Manuel Jarmin at a Japanese restaurant on Edsa Shangri-La in 2000.
According to her, Abad showed a P10-million worth project and a Special Allotment Release Order (Saro) for which the Batanes Electric Cooperative (BatanELCo) would be the implementing arm. Napoles allegedly gave him P2 million after their transaction.
Abad, however, flatly denied the allegation in the affidavit of Napoles.
“I know Jarmin because he is a government official, but I have never transacted with him in any capacity. That is absolutely not true,” he said.
No such project exists
According to Abad, there are no records showing the project mentioned by Napoles in her affidavit, which supposedly involves a Saro.
He said the BatanELCo project claimed by Napoles does not exist in the records of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
He added that records from the National Electrification Administration (NEA) showed that no such project was released.
He mentioned that he already talked with the general manager of BatanELCo and also confirmed that no such project was implemented by the agency.
Both agencies have given him an official certification that no project or transaction exists, he said.
“Maliwanang sa official certification ng BatanELCo at NEA at sa records namin sa DBM na walang katotohanan ang mga sinasabi niya. Maliwanag na maliwanag na nagsisinungaling si Napoles,” he said citing no evidence could substantiate the mysterious P10-million project claimed by Napoles.
(It is clear from the official certification of BatanELCo, and NEA and even with our records at the DBM that her claims are all lies. It is very clear that Napoles is lying.)
The Fundacion Pacita nestled atop rolling hills in Batanes. MARIE JOYCE ELESTERIO
Mansion in Batanes?
Abad dismissed claims that the Fundacion Pacita, a nature lodge nestled atop a rolling hills overlooking the Pacific ocean in Batanes, was a product of his alleged kickbacks from the pork barrel scam.
“May kapatid akong international painter, si Pacita Abad, at nagtayo siya ng studio sa amin sa Batanes,” he said.
(I have a sister who is an international painter, Pacita Abad, and she put up a studio in Batanes.)
But before his sister died in 2004, he said she wanted to transform it to a “nature lodge.”
The profit, according to him, would help aspiring young Ivatan artists and help in the restoration of the traditional Ivatan houses which is a unique historical structure in Batanes.
“Masakit kasi sabi nila galing sa pork [barrel funds],” he said.
(It hurts because they claim that the project was pork barrel-tainted.)
According to him, critics could check the records of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to see if there is any irregularity.
Pork allocation
Amid questions on where he spent his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), Abad said it went to his province Batanes.
He cited he allocated his PDAF to infrastructure projects, education, medical services and relief operations when typhoons hit Batanes.
Legal actions
According to Abad, he would not waste his time in filing charges against Napoles as she is already facing numerous charges.
He expressed confidence on the justice system and said he would let concerned agencies do their investigation.
“Ipababahala ko na sa proseso kasi marami na ang naisampang kaso sa kanya at mga kasamahan niya,” he said.
(I will let the investigation roll because there have been many charges filed against her and her cohorts.)
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