De Lima: Making Napoles state witness a ‘very dangerous move’

Sen. Leila de Lima. (File photo by MARIANNE BERMUDEZ / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Detained Sen. Leila de Lima on Friday called the government’s planned move to make the alleged pork barrel mastermind Janet Napoles as state witness as a “very dangerous move.”

Speaking to reporters after a hearing at a Quezon City court, the lawmaker stressed that Napoles would not be qualified to take the witness stand if the probe on the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam should be reopened.

“That is a very dangerous, very suspicious move,” she said. “(Napoles) is not at all reliable.”

De Lima was the justice secretary when the PDAF sam was investigated and Napoles, along with Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrade and Ramon Revilla Jr., were charged.

In a handwritten note previously released to the media, the vocal critic of the Duterte administration had already criticized Napoles, calling her a ”polluted source.”

Napoles was sentenced in 2015 by the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150 to up to 40 years in prison for illegal detention of her former employee and pork scam whistleblower Benhur Luy. She also faced graft and plunder cases at the Sandiganbayan.

The Court of Appeals, however, acquitted the businesswoman last week, citing insufficient evidence. /atm