Handyman listed as Napoles incorporator bares pressure

Efren Sidemo, who only finished high school and has been working as utility and grass cutter the past 18 years in Magpet town in North Cotabato, learned he was an incorporator of Saganang Buhay sa Atin Foundation, one of the alleged bogus NGO linked to Napoles.PHOTO BY KARLOS MANLUPIG / INQUIRER MINDANAO

KIDAPAWAN CITY, North Cotabato—The North Cotabato handyman who had no idea he had been named an officer of a non-governmental organization linked to alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles said Wednesday a relative working for Napoles had asked him to fly to Manila to recant his earlier statements.

Efren Sidemo, who works for the municipal government of Magpet, North Cotabato, said Lilian Español, who had his name included as an incorporator of Saganang Buhay sa Atin Foundation, telephone him about traveling to Manila to take back what he had said.

Sidemo had publicly disowned any ties to Saganang Buhay sa Atin Foundation or Napoles.

He said Español, a sister-in-law, wanted him to read a prepared statement before the National Bureau of Investigation when they talked over the phone on Sunday.

He described Español as the caregiver for Napoles’ ailing mother who had been working for the alleged pork barrel scam queen since 2008.

Sidemo said his sister-in-law wanted “to solve my problem.”

“She called up and told me to proceed to Manila and she will take care of everything and my problem will be solved,” said Sidemo, who had also been summoned by the NBI last Thursday.

He said Español offered to “shoulder all my travel expenses, including accommodation” and said that three other persons whom she had named as NGO incorporators had already left for Manila.

“I learned from other relatives that Lolito Abarquez and two other relatives of Español are already in Manila,” he said.

He said he did not agree to what Español wanted him to do.

“Politely, I told her that I am not coming to Manila and that I will only appear before the NBI without prepared statement to be read,” Sidemo added.

Magpet Vice Mayor Efren Piñol, who had assisted Sidemo in seeking advice from NBI-Davao City, said he had told the utility worker to get a lawyer before issuing any statement to the NBI.