De Lima’s ex says Napoles not a client

MANILA, Philippines - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima’s former husband denied yesterday any involvement with Janet Lim-Napoles.

In a text message to reporters, lawyer Plaridel Bohol debunked the allegations of dismissed National Bureau of Investigation deputy director Reynaldo Esmeralda that he accompanied Napoles to the NBI in May last year.

“I was there to greet (then director Nonnatus Rojas) a belated happy birthday,” he said.

“We were having lunch when attorney Freddie Villamor arrived and subsequently his client Janet Lim-Napoles.”

He saw Napoles at the NBI, but that was only coincidental, he added.

Bohol said Napoles complained to Rojas about the “intrusion” of NBI agents guarding her brother, Reynald Lim, at the hospital right after he had undergone heart bypass surgery.

“She pleaded that the matter be looked into so that her brother could recuperate well,” he said. “A few minutes after, she left.”

Bohol said he did not arrange the meeting between Napoles and Rojas.

“At that time, I had no knowledge or inkling that the same woman would be the center of the PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) controversy since there was no news yet about the scam,” he said.

Bohol said he did not want to immediately answer the allegations of Esmeralda in deference to the NBI probe.

He decided to clarify the matter “to cut short the spin that it is being given by its author,” he added.

Bohol said it is sad that he is being linked to Napoles.

“I just hope that I am not being linked to this issue to connect me in a malicious way to the secretary of justice,” he said.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, De Lima said she could not help but vent out her frustration over the statements of Esmeralda.

“Of course I feel bad about what those two are doing. I am just controlling my emotions right now,” she said.

De Lima said the attempt of Esmeralda and Ruel Lasala, another dismissed NBI official, to link to Napoles people perceived to be close to her is a matter of defending themselves from charges that they aided the businesswoman in evading arrest last year.

“They were accused of being moles of Ms. Napoles who allegedly tipped her off about the issuance of the arrest warrant,” she said.

“But I already said that it was not established. Right up to now, we still don’t know who did it. But can I just tell them that it was not the only reason why they were replaced – it was their overall reputation. That’s why my misgiving and regret now is that I should have asked for their removal much earlier. I’ve been wanting to do that but I was just looking for the proper timing.”

De Lima dared Esmeralda and Lasala to avail of appropriate legal remedies against their dismissal instead of resorting to allegations in the media.