Napoles lawyer: Luy traveled to Europe, owns flashy cars

MANILA, Philippines — The lawyer of alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles said he wants to summon the travel records of principal whistleblower Benhur Luy.

Benhur Luy ALEXIS CORPUZ

Atty. Stephen David said this is because he received reliable information that Luy travelled to Europe even when he was supposedly making a living only as Napoles’ entrusted finance officer in JLN Corporation.

David questioned where Luy got the money for travel when his mother, another whistleblower Gertrudes Luy, only worked as Napoles’ domestic helper.

“Magastos ang pag-travel sa Europe. Magastos ang travel abroad. So kung empleyado ka lang, saan ka kumuha ng panggastos (Travelling to Europe is very expensive. If you’re a mere employee, where did you get the travel expenses)?” David said after Thursday’s bail hearing of Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and attended by Luy.

“‘Yung nanay niya, yaya ni Napoles… Kung katulong ba ang nanay mo, paano ka nagpupunta sa kung saan-saan (Benhur’s mother is just Napoles’ domestic helper… If his mother is a maid, how did he manage to afford to go abroad)?” he added.

David said he would try to find out where Luy got this travel funds when he cross-checks Luy to the witness stand on next week’s bail hearing.

“For purposes of impeachment, i-cross check ko siya para malaman kung saan niya nakukuha ang panggastos (I will cross check him to check where he got the travel expenses),” David said.

“Sinasabi niya ang nasisingil niya binibigay lang niya sa JLN Corporation. Baka sabi niya lang ‘yun (He’s saying he only gives the money to JLN Corporation. Maybe he’s just saying that),” he added.

David also said he would question Luy’s claim that he was always with Napoles when she gives kickbacks to government officials.

“Baka naman nasa abroad siya n’ung time na ‘yun (Maybe he’s abroad during those times)?” David said.

The only time Luy had revealed of his travels abroad was for his case in the Manila Regional Trial Court, which had frozen Luy’s assets on suspicions that it also contained ill-gotten wealth.

Covered by the asset preservation order (APO) are bank accounts of Benhur Luy at Bank of the Philippine Islands with US$15,008 and his peso accounts at the United Coconut Planters Bank and Metro Bank; Arthur Luy’s Banco De Oro account with P940,000 deposit and a Metrobank account of Gertrudes Luy.

Luy said his bank accounts contained dollars because his friends contributed money for him to attend the World Youth Day in Germany in 2005. But Napoles did not allow him.

Besides his travels abroad, David even said that Luy owns flashy cars such as a Montero, CRV, Altis, to name a few.

The court had allowed Napoles’ motion to subpoena the bank records of Luy and other whistleblowers in the scam. This is to find out whether their bank records also contained ill-gotten wealth from the scam.

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