Senior PAO lawyers to represent Napoles at Senate hearing

Janet Lim-Napoles. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Public Attorney’s Office will send three of its most senior lawyers to represent pork barrel scam principal accused Janet Lim-Napoles when she appears before the Senate on Thursday.

PAO Chief Persida Rueda-Acosta, in a text message on Tuesday, said they will send senior lawyers Howard Areza, Marlon Buan, and Analisa Soriano to represent Napoles at the Senate inquiry.

Buan is the officer-in-charge of PAO NCR, Areza is the head of PAO Executive Services while Soriano is the assistant head of PAO Special & Appealed Services.

PAO is sending lawyers for Napoles upon the request of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

Lawyer Lorna Kapunan last week withdrew as counsel for the alleged brains behind the multi-billion pork barrel scam.

While there is a common notion that PAO represents only the under privileged, Acosta said under Republic Act 9406 or PAO law, “in the exigency of service, the PAO may be called upon by government authorities to render such services to other persons. (sec 3, RA 9406).”

PAO represented former President Joseph Estrada during the initial stages of his plunder case before the Sandiganbayan in early 2000.