Drilon: Blue Ribbon committee can compel De Lima to release Napoles list

Senate President Franklin Drilon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines– It’s now up to the Senate blue ribbon committee to decide whether or not to compel Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to release the list of lawmakers allegedly involved in the “pork barrel” funds scam, Senate President Franklin Drilon said on Tuesday.

“Nasa sa blue ribbon committee po iyan kung ito ay mapagdesisyunan nila. Nasa kapangyarihan po ng blue ribbon committee to compel [its] resource person, in this case Sec. De Lima, na humarap at kung kailangan ilabas ang ano mang dokumento na kabilang sa kanilang imbestigasyon,” Drilon said over radio.

(It’s up to the blue ribbon committee to decide on it. The blue ribbon committee has the power to compel its resource person, in this case Secretay De Lima, to face and, if necessary, release whatever documents she has in its investigation)

“Ito po ay nasa kapangyarihan ng Senado at ng mga komite na kailangan upang makagawa sila ng maayos na panukalang batas. Sa aming oversight function, kaya po nila iyan gawin. Kaya po ng Blue Ribbon Committee na ipilit ipalabas ang affidavit sa DOJ (Department of Justice),” he further said.

(The Senate and its committees have that power so that they would be able to come up with the right legislation. As part of our oversight function, they can do that. The blue ribbon committee can compel the DOJ to release the affidavit)

Drilon was referring to the affidavit that suspected “pork” scam mastermind, Janet Lim-Napoles, has allegedly executed and given to the DOJ chief as she promised to tell all her knowledge about the scam.

Former senator and now rehabilitation czar Panfilo “Ping” Lacson also claimed to have in possession of a list of those involved in the scam given to him by Napoles’ husband when the latter sought a meeting with him late March this year.

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