DoJ mulls dropping charges vs OFW linked in ‘pork’ scam
MANILA, Philippines —The Department of Justice was considering to drop the charges against an overseas Filipino worker, who was named president of one of Janet Lim-Napoles’ non-government organizations.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima made the remark Thursday at the Senate inquiry into the pork barrel scam after Napoles’ former project coordinator, Merlina Suñas, admitted that her cousin Nemencio Pablo Jr. was registered as president of Agri and Economic Program for Farmers Foundation Inc. without his knowledge.
Suñas said they simply forged the name of Pablo.
De Lima told the Senate blue ribbon committee: “We’ll consider. We’ll move for the dropping of the charges against him.”
But de Lima said she has yet to the discuss the matter with the National Bureau of Investigation, which filed the charges against Pablo, a welder in Australia, and other people involved in the P10 billion pork barrel funds scam.
De Lima’s remarks came after Napoles’ former project coordinator, Merlina Suñas, admitted to the committee that her cousin, Pablo, had no knowledge about the foundation and that they only forged his name.
Napoles’ nanny, Gertudes Luy, also testified having no knowledge that she was made president of Bukirin Tanglaw, another foundation formed by the JLN Corporation.
“Ginawa akong president, hindi ko alam na kapangalan pala sa akin na sangkot sa Malampaya fund (I was made the president, I ,” Luy said, responding to Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel’s queries.
Asked what she thought she was hired for by Napoles, Lu said : “Bilang yaya sa mga anak n’ya (As babysitter for her children).”
Luy is the mother of principal whistleblower, Benhur Luy.
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