MANILA, Philippines – Janet Lim-Napoles repeatedly invoked her rights against self-incrimination when Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago asked if she knew the three senators who have been dragged into the P10 billion “pork barrel” scam.
The three senators implicated into the scam were Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce-Enrile, Senators Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.
During the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing Thursday, Napoles invoked her right against self-incrimination when Santiago asked if Enrile was the one being referred to as “tanda” in the previous hearings of the Senate committee.
Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago. SENATE POOL FILE PHOTO
When asked again by Santiago if Estrada was the one referred to as the “sexy” senator, Napoles said: “Hindi ko po alam (I don’t know).”
“Anong hindi mo alam. Alam mo e (What do you mean you don’t know? You know),” Santiago said, adding that Napoles should have just invoked her right against self-incrimination.
So Napoles invoked such right again when Santiago repeated the question and to another question if Revilla was the one being referred to as “pogi.”
“E di bilisan natin, puro ka pala I invoke my right… “ Santiago added.
But Napoles’ invocation of such right did not sit well with the lady senator when Napoles used it again to the question whom she had been talking to about the plunder case filed against her at the Office of the Ombudsman.
“I invoke my right against self-incrimination,’’ Napoles said.
“Sino lang kausap mo , I invoke my right? Aaah..” said Santiago, who was apparently getting impatient with Napoles.
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