Janet asked to reveal Noy’s ‘involvement’ in Malampaya fund misuse

MANILA, Philippines - The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) yesterday urged alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles to spill the beans on the supposed involvement of President Aquino and other officials in the misuse of Malampaya funds, which were reportedly coursed through her bogus NGOs. 

In a statement, Pamalakaya vice chairman Salvador France said the new plunder case filed by the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) against the President, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio de los Reyes and other officials over the Malampaya funds misuse should compel Napoles to reveal her dealings with the administration. 

“For the sake of truth, justice and transparency, Mrs. Napoles is hereby required by the Filipino people to tell the truth and nothing but the truth. Mrs. Napoles, it is time to tell all, bare all,” he added. 

France also noted that the Malampaya funds misuse shows that the Aquino administration merely continued the high crimes of corruption of the previous administration in collusion with Napoles’ bogus non-government organizations.  

“The KMP plunder cases against Aquino and the rest of the ruling gangland in Malacañang manifest the high involvement of Aquino and company in murderous crimes of plunder of taxpayers’ money, which are more revolting and more devastating compared to the plunder crimes of the past,” he added.  

In a 16-page complaint, KMP said Aquino committed plunder when he approved the release of P125 million in Malampaya funds for projects or purposes not in accord with the law.    Also included in the complaint are whistle-blower Benhur Luy, former Department of Agrarian Reform undersecretary Narciso Nieto; DAR Undersecretary Jerry Pacturan of the department’s Support Services Office; Department of Budget and Management Undersecretary Mario Relampagos; Teresita Reyes; Ashley Baul; Simplicio Gumafelex; John Raymund de Asis; John Lim, and Nemesio Pablo Jr. 

DAR and was used in 2009, prior to the transition of administration in mid-2010. 

Parungao also stressed that the present DAR administration took the initiative to look into the apparent exploitation of the funds even before it came out in the news. 

“After receiving reports that some of the supposed beneficiaries of the Malampaya Fund denied having received any financial assistance or support from the DAR back in 2009, the Office of the Secretary directed its Internal Audit Service on November 2012 to conduct an investigation, which began the following month,” he said. 

He said that the DAR then turned over copies of the documents it collected both to the Commission on Audit, which conducted its own special investigation on the matter, and to the National Bureau of Investigation. 

“The DAR has shown its readiness and willingness to cooperate in any investigation on the Malampaya fund issue,” Parungao said. “Incidentally, there were fund releases back in 2011. – With Rhodina Villanueva