Napoles, Merlina Suñas in battle of lawsuits before ‘pork’ scam exposé

MANILA, Philippines—Janet Lim-Napoles and her former assistant turned whistle-blower Merlina Suñas apparently vented their anger against each other in the courts before the alleged pork barrel scam fixated public attention.

While Suñas, Napoles’ all-around assistant, roams free as whistle-blower for the government, Napoles is at the losing end and is detained for plunder for allegedly masterminding the scheme of spending public funds in ghost projects for kickbacks.

During Napoles’ bail hearing for plunder on Friday, Suñas told the Sandiganbayan of the history of her falling out with her former boss.

Sunas said her conflict with Napoles escalated to losing her job in JLN Corp. which compelled her to file a labor case with the National Labor Relations Commission in April 2013.

Napoles hit back and filed what she called a bogus carnapping charge, a nonbailable offense, before the Pasig Regional Trial Court a month after.

Suñas said the conflict started as early as Dec. 20, 2012, when Napoles supposedly called Suñas, her all-around assistant in JLN Corp., and accused her of betrayal.

But to which Napoles was referring, Suñas said she had no idea.

“Tinawagan ako ni Napoles ng (December) 20th, sabi niya nagagalit siya saken. ‘Sayang ang pinagsamahan natin,’ sabi niya. Marami na rin po siyang hindi magandang sinabi sa akin,” Suñas told the court on the witness stand.

Suñas and Napoles had long known each other when both were working for the Philippine Navy.

Napoles was taken aback by the statement. She put her hands over her mouth sarcastically as if surprised.

The day before that call, or on Dec. 19, Napoles met with Suñas, principal whistle-blower Benhur Luy and others and accused Luy of colluding with an agent Maya Santos in crafting their own scam, Suñas said.

READ: Witness tells court of Napoles, Luy rift in pork barrel scam

“’Dun na po nagsimula ang alitan nina Madam Jenny, Luy at ako,” Suñas said.

Suñas was later told by Napoles to stop reporting to work and that she would be informed when she could resume her job at JLN Corp.

Suñas said four months since December went by and Napoles never called her.

She said she even attempted to visit JLN Corp., during which Napoles’ brother Jojo Lim told her: “Huwag ka na muna bumalik. Mainit pa ulo ni madame.”

It was around April 2013 when Suñas decided to file the labor complaint.

A month later, or on May 2013, Napoles filed the carnapping charge against Suñas and her husband in the court. Suñas, however, said the car that Napoles alleged she stole was actually given to her as a loyalty gift for working in JLN Corp.

Napoles’ unfounded anger seemed to have interested the court. Associate Justice Samuel Martires pressed on further: “What made Napoles tell you ‘sayang ang pinagsamahan natin’?”

Suñas said she did not know why Napoles turned her anger against her.

Napoles, at this point, was heard saying: “Galit? Kawawa naman.”

Suñas also told the court that Napoles’ brother Jojo had talked to her and coerced her to make a statement confessing to an offense Suñas said she did not commit.

“Pinagpipilitan akong gumawa ng statement na magsabi na ako ng katotohan. Sabi ko, hindi ko po alam ’yan … Sabi niya, si Benhur (Luy) gumawa na daw ng statement,” Suñas said.

Luy served as Napoles’ finance officer and turned star witness against Napoles and testified about the millions of kickbacks to lawmakers from their Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) projects.

Strange timing

Associate Justice Martires took notice of the strange timing of the filing of cases by Napoles and Suñas against each other.

Martires said Luy issued his affidavit on the pork barrel scam a day after his rescue. Luy was supposedly detained by Napoles on suspicions of starting his own scam.

When Suñas said her carnapping charge was junked on July 2013, Martires noted that Suñas issued her first affidavit against Napoles on August 2013.

Martires said Suñas seemed to have decided to turn whistle-blower after her case was junked.

He then asked Suñas if the government intervened in junking the case so she would turn whistle-blower. Suñas denied striking a deal with government for the dismissal of her case.

The elderly and calm whistle-blower also admitted before the court of being afraid of the controversial businesswoman.

“Marami siyang kakilalang mataas na tao sa lipunan, sa militar at gobyerno. ’Yun ang kinakatakot ko,” Suñas said.

Seemingly reveling at Suñas’ fear, Napoles was seen giggling and sneering.

“Lalabas din ang katotohanan (The truth will come out),” Napoles said after the hearing.