Davide: photos with Napoles a non-issue

CEBU Gov. Hilario Davide III said he was with President Aquino in Shangri-la Mactan resort last year when candid photos were taken of the chief executive and Janet Napoles with her family.

But Davide, who accompanied the President there after the Nov. 30 National Thanksgiving Mass in Cebu City, downplayed what Malacañang described as a chance encounter.

“Anyone if given the chance would want to have a photo opportunity with the President,” Davide said.

Photos of President Aquino posing with a smile in the company of Janet Napoles, alleged mastermind of the P10 billion pork barrel scam, and family members surfaced online and circulated widely on the eve of the resumption of a Senate investigation on the alleged misuse of the discretionary fund of legislators.

Governor Davide, who is allied with the President’s Liberal Party, said he “does not find anything wrong with the picture”.

He said he couldn’t recall Napoles specifically or the photo session as there were several people who asked to pose with Aquino.

“For all we know, the President does not know her,” he told Cebu Daily News.

Davide said he remembers accompanying the President in a dinner at the Shangri-la Mactan Resort after the Thanksgiving Mass at the South Road Properties).

“A lot of people were having their photos taken with the President so I was not able to see everyone. I guess this is not something that should even be talked about,” Davide said.

One photo of Aquino with Jeane Napoles, daughter of Janet, was posted on Instagram and captioned: “Ending the eventful month of November in Cebu. With Noynoy Aquino, President of the Philippines.” /Correspondent Peter L. Romanillos