No orders from PNoy to hide Napoles' list - Palace

MANILA, Philippines — President Benigno Aquino III did not order Justice Secretary Leila De Lima to hold off on revealing Janet Lim-Napoles' list of conspirators in the pork barrel scam, Malacañang said on Monday.

"Wala pong ganyang kautusan," Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a televised press briefing amid growing calls for De Lima to finally identify the other lawmakers and officials allegedly involved in the scam as listed by Napoles.

Coloma said the Palace will just wait for De Lima's report on the matter since she has been given the responsibility of doing what needs to be done.

He said it is up to De Lima to decide when to release the list made by Napoles, the suspected pork barrel scam mastermind.

"The only thing I know is that she has been tasked by the President with performing the processes that need to be undertaken in order to process the additional information that has been supplied by Mrs. Napoles," Coloma said.

The Palace official's statements also came after jueteng whistle-blower Sandra Cam alleged that Senate President Franklin Drilon and Aquino's Liberal Party were trying to silence her over a supposed list of officials including administration allies tagged by Napoles.

But Coloma reiterated the government's position to let the evidence point to the direction of the inquiry, even if it will not favor individuals close to the President.

Coloma maintained that the search for justice will spare no one.

"The Department of Justice will not spare efforts sapagkat ang kanilang direktiba ay malinaw na ibatay lamang ito sa kongkretong ebidensya, at maghain ng mga paratang doon sa mga mapapatunayan o kung maipapakitang mayroong kongkretong batayan para gawin ito," Coloma said.