Lacson identifies 5 officials on Napoles, Luy lists
MANILA, Philippines — Former Senator Panfilo Lacson revealed five more individuals supposedly listed down by Janet Lim-Napoles and whistle-blower Benhur Luy as among the officials allegedly involved in the pork barrel scam.
In an interview on ABS-CBN's late night newscast Bandila on Monday, Lacson said "yes" when asked if the names of certain officials were included on the list made by Napoles, the alleged brains of the scam, and by Luy, the businesswoman's former employee.
Lacson confirmed that these officials were on the lists: Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and Senators Francis Escudero, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Alan Peter Cayetano and Gringo Honasan.
But Lacson said "no" when asked if Senate President Franklin Drilon and Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chair Teofisto Guingona were included on the lists.
He, however, confirmed that Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr. were listed. The three have been found liable for plunder by the Office of the Ombudsman for supposedly amassing pork barrel kickbacks.
According to a STAR report, Lacson also revealed yesterday that there were 21 former and incumbent senators, 90 congressmen and two Cabinet members implicated in the pork barrel scam and the Malampaya Fund anomaly from 2000 to 2010.
Read: Ping says 21 senators, 90 congressmen in combined list
In previous media reports, Abad had been accused of tutoring Napoles in designing the multibillion-peso scam which diverted lawmakers' pork barrel funds to bogus foundations of the businesswoman. He denied the allegations.
A known political opponent of Lacson and Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, Santiago had also denied being involved in the pork barrel scam.
Recently, Santiago said Lacson, who claimed that Napoles' relatives gave him a list of all the pork barrel scam conspirators, may be part of a "vast, costly and sinister disinformation operation†to compel the Ombudsman to grant the motions for reconsideration of the indicted senators.
"The principals in this massive psy-war operation are: Sen. Enrile; his former chief of staff Gigi Reyes; and Enrile’s ally and attack dog Panfilo Lacson," Santiago said.
Santiago had also asked the Blue Ribbon Committee to hold a public hearing to request Luy to testify and bare his own list, which she said was "definitive and substantiated" as compared to Lacson's "spurious documents inadmissible in evidence."
Last week, Cayetano reiterated that his pork barrel funds did not go to any fake foundation. He asked Justice Secretary Leila De Lima to also verify if the people on the list were in fact guilty and were clients of Napoles or if their names were simply being dragged into the controversy.
"Ito na ang sinasabi ko nung isang araw na habang hindi nilalabas ang affidavit ni Napoles, maraming mga listahan ang maglalabasan, guguluhin ang issue, at yung mga guilty ang makikinabang. Ito na nga ang nangyayari," Cayetano said.
The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee issued a subpoena yesterday directing De Lima to surrender within this week the list and supposed "tell-all" affidavit provided to her by Napoles.
Guingona also announced that Lacson "has committed to turn over documents in his possession.
President Benigno Aquino III earlier admitted that he has seen two lists reportedly prepared by Napoles, but their contents do not match.
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