Napoles submits affidavit on perjury raps vs whistleblowers

MANILA, Philippines - Alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles on Friday submitted her reply-affidavit through her legal counsels on the perjury cases she filed against the scam's whistleblowers.

Napoles' lawyers Tristan Zoleta and Takahiro Aman submitted the affidavit to the Manila City Prosecutor's Office on the lawsuits against Benhur Luy and Merlina Sunias, Luy's parents Arturo and Gertrudes, and his siblings Arthur and Annabelle.

The businesswoman's camp claimed that the whistleblowers made false statements under oath, particularly Luy's allegation that she and her brother Reynald Lim illegally held the witness in detention last year.

Arturo and Arthur Luy both failed to appear in the first hearing of the case last week.

Manila Assistant Prosecutor Philger Noel Inovejas said the absence of both respondents would mean that their right to file counter-affidavits has been waived.

Luy on Thursday testified before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on the third day of its investigation on the pork barrel scam, where about P10 billion in lawmakers' Priority Development Assistance Fund were supposedly channeled to bogus non-government organizations allegedly set up by Napoles.

Luy's affidavit on the perjury case was already received by the court as well as those of Sunias and Annabelle Luy.

Napoles and her brother were ordered arrested by Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 150 Judge Elmo Alameda based on the case of serious illegal detention filed by Luy.

The businesswoman is currently detained at Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, while her brother remains at large.