Palace on Napoles list: There is no cover-up

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang on Monday denied accusations that alleged copies of Janet Lim-Napoles’ list of pork barrel scam players were meant to confuse the public and cover up the controversy.

“There is no cover-up. That is an unfounded allegation,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a televised press briefing.

“I think when the President (Benigno Aquino III) spoke to the media last night, he also cautioned against the possible confusion and misdirection that may be arising from this talk about a list or several lists,” he added, referring to Aquino’s trip to Myanmar for the 24th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit.

Coloma said Aquino thinks “it is best” that the list be submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman for proper assessment and appropriate action.

He was reacting to a question on whether there was basis for critics to say that the Napoles list was similar to the “Hello Garci” tapes, which had so many versions that people did not know what to believe.

Some groups have been accusing the President of allegedly allowing the cover-up because some of his allies might be included in the list.

At least three people claimed to have a copy of the said list – Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Rehabilitation Secretary Panfilo Lacson and whistleblower Sandra Cam.

Napoles had given her testimony to De Lima just before she underwent surgery last month while Lacson said the businesswoman’s husband had given him a draft of the affidavit months before. Meanwhile, Cam said she received her copy from a source.

While in Myanmar, Aquino told reporters that he had seen De Lima’s and Lacson’s copies but the names did not match.

“I have seen two, and they don’t agree with each other exactly, and they are supposed to have come from Mrs. Napoles,” the President said. This prompted him to say in jest, “Ano ba talaga, Ate? (Which one is the real thing, Sis?).

Both Lacson and Cam said hundreds of lawmakers were included in their lists, including at least 16 senators. In an ambush interview at Malacañang last week, Lacson said he did not believe that De Lima was capable of tampering with Napoles’ affidavit but he said he was willing to make his list public if he sees any anomaly such as the exclusion of officials close to the Aquino administration.

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