INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—For various reasons like a terminal disease or the conditions of their families, private individuals who found themselves accused in the pork barrel scam have found ways to appeal to the Sandiganbayan’s emotions as they face graft charges in the scam.
On Monday, these individuals filed motions asking the Sandiganbayan to determine probable cause before they are arrested.
These officials were those who have purportedly worked for alleged mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles in the supposed orchestration of the pork barrel scam.
Those who filed the said motions for judicial determination of probable cause were:
Dorilyn Fabian – personnel of the Napoles’ foundation Agricultura Para sa Magbubukid Foundation
Mylene Encarnacion – personal assistant of Napoles, head of Countryside Agri and Rural Economic Development Foundation
Eulogio Rodriguez – driver of Napoles
Jocelyn Piorato – Napoles’ former personal assistant
Renato Ornopia – Napoles’ utility worker, household help or caretaker
Evelyn De Leon – head of Napoles’ foundation Philippine Social Development Foundation
Nitz Cabilao
Fabian said she is a “plain housewife and a loving mother to her five children.” She also said she has breast cancer and is also a single parent.
Her motion said her graft charges “add to her battles” with breast cancer. She added that she only met Napoles once in a prayer group in Laguna, and that she was merely informed that it was Napoles who formed the group.
Meanwhile, Encarnacion said she is not a conspirator in the commission of the crime.
She also said “she still needs to work in order to sustain the needs of her own small family, after having given birth to her second child.”
Napoles’ driver Rodriguez said he is not “privy” to the crime because he is merely a driver who followed orders.
“As such, he is not privy to any transaction or business of the company he works for. He is just a driver,” the motion read.
Napoles’ househelp Ornopia said he is a “lowly employee who did not go to college” and that “he had no knowledge” in the scam.
Another private individual Cabilao filed the same motion, saying she does not have any association with Napoles.
“Accused is neither a member nor officer of any of those organizations mentioned. She is also not an employee, associate or relative of Napoles. In fact, she worked as a liason for a recruiting form during the material dates of the complaint,” the motion read.
In her motion, De Leon said that according to Securities and Exchange Commission records, she is “not a member nor incorporator of any of these (Napoles) NGOs.”
Piorato said she did not do any business with Napoles.
The pork barrel scam is an elaborate scheme of purportedly coursing billions of state funds to the bogus foundations of Napoles, only to be converted to kickbacks.
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