Bagatsing cries politics in pork barrel scam charges
Manila Rep. Amado Bagatsing, who is running for mayor in this year’s polls, is crying politics in relation to the malversation and graft complaint filed against him over the pork barrel scam.
During the Pandesal forum at the Kamuning Bakery Cafe on Friday, Bagatsing denied involvement in the scam, and that even the alleged mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles denied having transacted with the lawmaker.
Bagatsing belongs to the third batch of pork barrel scam complaint which also involves Senator Gringo Honasan and Tesda chief Joel Villanueva, among others.
Bagatsing is accused of receiving P600,000 in kickbacks from Napoles according to the ledger of whistleblower Benhur Luy, Napoles’ finance officer in the scam.
Bagatsing said the malversation complaint was filed against him by the Department of Justice because he did not back the mayoralty bid of Alfredo Lim, who was supported by President Benigno Aquino III in the 2013 elections.
Bagatsing said he supported the bid of former President Joseph Estrada, who defeated Lim because of votes from Bagatsing’s district.
“Pinupulitika na lang tayo diyan. Right after I supported Erap in 2013… pagkatapos manalo ni Erap, sumikip na ang mundo ko,” Bagatsing said.
He did not only lose his committee chairmanship in the House of Representatives, Bagatsing said, he was also sued for malversation and graft over the pork barrel scam right after backing Estrada.
The Commission on Elections still allowed Estrada to run for public office in 2013 even though the Constitution bars a president from seeking another public office.
Estrada is the country’s first president convicted of plunder due to illegal jueteng funds. He stepped down from office amid a people’s uprising. He was pardoned by his successor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Bagatsing said he filed perjury charges against Napoles, but Napoles eventually apologized to him for dragging him in the scam.
“Hinabol pangalan ko sa PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Funds), nag-apologize na si Napoles sa akin, hindi ko alam kung bakit nailabas yan. Wala namang kaso,” Bagatsing said.
According to Napoles’ sworn affidavit, Bagatsing supposedly received a 40 percent rebate of the project cost implemented by the Technology Resource Center through Napoles’ “Masaganang Ani Para sa Magsasaka Foundation.”
Napoles said Mina Nieva, the daughter of the late Rep. Ernesto Nieva, received the commission for Bagatsing as well as for her father.
Bagatsing said he has filed a perjury complaint against Napoles for accusing him of coursing P1 million in his PDAF to a Napoles foundation.
In his complaint, Bagatsing said he could not have implemented a project in 2007 because he supposedly only received his Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) in January 2008.
He also said the signatures in the letters to TRC were forged and the letterhead was also falsified.
“Significantly, I did not receive nor authorized any person to receive in my behalf a rebate or commission from the transactions involving a Napoles NGO in her PDAF dealing with TRC,” the complaint read.
In an affidavit attached to the complaint, Mina Nieva had also denied allegations that she served as a middle person between Napoles and lawmakers.
In the 2016 mayoralty race, Bagatsing is going against Lim and Estrada in a three-way race for the Manila city hall.
Bagatsing blamed Lim and Estrada for starting and continuing the construction of the Torre De Manila despite questions of legality for ruining the line of sight of the Rizal Monument. The case is now pending before the Supreme Court.
He also blamed the Estrada administration for the demolition of historic sites in Manila, which was once a scenic historic place during the Spanish and American period.
The latest to be ordered demolished is the historic Philippine National Bank building on Escolta Street, which Estrada supposedly deemed unsafe.
“We are erasing history. Wala siyang (Estrada) sense of history. Manila is truly blessed in history, kailangang proteskyunan yan para sa mga susunod na salinlahi,” Bagatsing said.
