Palace urges ex-NBI officials to tell the truth

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Even Malacañang is eager to find out who were Janet Lim-Napoles’ connections in the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, in a text message to reporters on Monday, said  Malacanang would  welcome any information from  two former NBI deputy directors, Reynaldo Esmeralda and Ruel Lasala.

“Hihintayin natin ang kanilang pagbubunyag. Kailangang mabatid ang buong katotohanan, at kung ang paglalahad ay batay sa kongkretong ebidensya,” Coloma said.

(We will wait for their revelations. It is important to know the whole truth, and if their narration is based on concrete evidence.)

He said those who violated the law will be held accountable.

Esmeralda and Lasala were relieved from their posts last week “for the benefit of the institution.” They denied that they were the NBI officials who were being linked to the pork barrel scam.

The disgruntled ex-deputy directors instead claimed that two ranking NBI officials close to Justice Secretary Leila De Lima were the ones who met with Napoles and supposedly tipped her off about her impending arrest.

Esmeralda said they would name the officials at a “proper time.”

Former NBI director Nonnatus Rojas resigned in September last year, following President Benigno Aquino III’s statement that there were “less trustworthy” agents in the bureau.

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