Pork barrel scam whistle-blower vows to finish fight

Benhur Luy. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Benhur Luy, the principal witness in the P10-billion pork barrel scam, has vowed to finish the fight.

“I know that my life is never going to be the same again, and I also know that God has a purpose for me, so I intend to finish the fight,” Luy told the Inquirer in a recent telephone interview.

Luy and several other witnesses, like him former employees of detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, submitted to investigators affidavits that became the basis of plunder cases brought against three senators, some former congressmen, government officials and private citizens in the Office of the Ombudsman.

He said that like the other whistle-blowers, he had only one wish this Christmas: “to be forever free.”

“We know this is a long fight, but like anyone else we want this to be over and be free again forever,” he said.

Luy and other witnesses are under the government protection and always under heavy guard.

He said the difficulties that he and his family went through last Christmas when he was detained by Napoles, the alleged brains behind the P10-billion pork barrel scam, had made him a “better person.”

Luy was rescued by the National Bureau of Investigation from an apartment in Taguig City in March, according to complaints brought by his parents Gertudes and Arturo Luy against Napoles.

Known to his friends and family as a deeply religious, Luy  said he could feel, particularly this season, that  “God has never abandoned me in my search for truth and justice.”

He said his ordeal last year made him better realize the importance of family.

“It was an experience I want to change… I do not want to relive that experience for I know that I have a family, friends and a community who have always loved me and desire to be with me, too,” Luy said.

He said he was grateful that he was still alive.

Luy thanked Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, his lawyer Levito Baligod and those who he said helped him in his fight against Napoles.

He described De Lima “as the lifeline for all the whistle-blowers.”

“The secretary has given us hope,” he said.