Senate to subpoena Napoles

MANILA, Philippines – The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is preparing a subpoena for businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles.

Janet Napoles. PHOTO courtesy of PNP-PIO and PNP-SAF photographers

“The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Monday forwarded to the Office of the Senate President for signing the subpoena to compel Janet Lim-Napoles to attend its hearing set on September 26,” Senator Teofisto Guingona III said in a statement Monday.

“The appearance of Ms. Napoles in the Blue Ribbon hearing is important to our investigation as the Filipinos are looking for answers that may shed light to some issues at hand,” he said.

Napoles is set to be questioned regarding her role in the alleged Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam, more commonly known as Pork Barrel Scam, which siphoned off some P10 billion from lawmakers through bogus non-government organizations.

Benhur Luy, Napoles’ cousin and former employee now turned whistleblower, previously attended the hearing and disclosed that Napoles was the sole mastermind of the scam, refuting her previous claim that there was somebody higher than her.

“On Tuesday, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee will resume its hearing on the PDAF controversy. Resource persons include Justice Secretary Leila De Lima, Benhur Luy, Gertrudes Luy, Marina Sula, Merlina Suῆa, and other whistleblowers,” Guingona said.