Estrada: Something’s fishy in DOJ’s dealings with Napoles

By: Maila Ager - 11 years ago

Janet Lim-Napoles and Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada smelled “something fishy” with the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) alleged inconsistent statements on whether or not to get detained Janet Lim-Napoles as state witness on the pork barrel scam.

Estrada noted the DOJ’s previous statement that Napoles was not eligible to become a state witness and the recent report that it is now considering to get her as state witness on the pork scam.

“There is something fishy,” the senator told reporters in an interview on Tuesday.

Estrada was nevertheless unfazed even if Napoles turns state witness so long as Justice Secretary Leila de Lima would not try to influence her just to pin him down and two of his colleagues, Senators Juan Ponce-Enrile and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.

The three senators are among those facing plunder and graft charges along with other personalities in connection with the “pork” scam.

Estrada then disclosed an alleged desperate attempt to pin the three of them as “the whipping boys.”

“I am concerned kung talagang ipipilit ng DOJ o ng NBI na banggitin lang ang pangalan naming tatlo. Iyon lang concern ko,” he said.

(I am concerned if the DOJ or the NBI will insist on mentioning our names. That’s my only concern).

“Pero kapag walang influence, if Sec. de Lima will not influence Mrs. Napoles, we do not have anything to worry about. Pero kapag in-impose na idiin itong tatlo, that’s is something to worry about,” he added.

(But if there is no influence, if Secretary de Lima will not influence Mrs. Napoles, we don’t have anything to worry about. But if they will impose to pin us down, that’s something to worry about)

Despite this, Estrada vowed to fight it out, insisting his innocence on the charges being hurled at him.

“Laban (Fight). I have no choice but to defend myself in the proper forum. I have no choice but to fight it out, to slug it out because I know I am innocent of the charges against me,” he said of his decision to return home and face the charges against him.