Napoles expected to appear at Senate ‘pork’ probe

ALL SET The Senate is all set to resume its investigation into the P10 billion pork barrel scam Thursday, Nov. 7, 2013. A packed gallery (left) awaits Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged mastermind, who is expected to appear before the blue ribbon committee. CHRISTIAN ESGUERRA AND NANCY CARVAJAL/INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines – Detained Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged mastermind in the P10 billion “pork barrel” scam, is expected to appear and face her accusers for the first time in the Senate on Thursday.

Napoles has been detained at Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna for alleged serious illegal detention involving the kidnapping of cousin and former employee Benhur Luy.

Luy became the principal whistle-blower against Napoles who allegedly connived with some senators and congressmen.

In a series of articles published by the Philippine Daily Inquirer in July, Luy and other whistle-blowers detailed how Napoles allegedly channelled some P10 billion into ghost projects from the lawmakers’ Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) also known as “pork barrel” over the past 10 years.

But the businesswoman strongly denied the allegations, saying she  had “never transacted business or closed deals with the government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities.”

“I certainly was not involved in any of the high-profile scams which occurred during the previous administration,” Napoles said in an article published by the PDI on July 13, quoting her affidavit prepared by the MOST law firm.

Two months after the expose the Department  of Justice recommended and filed at the Office of the Ombudsman a plunder complaint against Napoles, along with Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce-Enrile, Senators  Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and Ramon Bong  Revilla Jr., and other congressmen and individuals  allegedly involved in the scam.

Despite the filing of the case at the Ombudsman, the Senate blue ribbon committee headed by Senator Teofisto Guingona III conducted  its own investigation on the  issue.

Luy and  other  witnesses  appeared  and  narrated before the committee  how  Napoles had allegedly set up  bogus  non-government organizations, which  allegedly received the lawmakers “pork barrel” funds.

After hearing the whistleblowers’ testimonies, the committee then moved to subpoena  Napoles.

In a last-minute bid to delay her appearance, the businesswoman requested the committee to postpone the hearing, saying she has no lawyer to  accompany her.

But Guingona immediately turned down the request and instead offered Napoles  legal services from the Public Attorney’s  Office.

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