MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Francis Escudero yesterday admitted he might have met alleged pork barrel scam operator Janet Lim-Napoles when he was still a congressman representing Sorsogon.
Escudero, however, maintained he did not have any dealings with Napoles regarding the disbursement of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).
“I had no dealings with Napoles. I received nothing from her and I am ready to prove that whenever the accusation is raised,†he said.
Escudero though admitted meeting a certain “Jenny Lim,†but did not know until later that she is the same person now dubbed as the controversial pork barrel operator.
“I met her, but there was no offer, there was no such PDAF thing. I just met her in one of... in an occasion somewhere. I don’t even remember when I was a congressman, maybe she is often seen visiting Congress,†Escudero said.
Escudero maintained he was unable to tap his PDAF allocations for 2007 to 2010 since he was not friendly to the past administration of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Escudero pointed out the Commission on Audit (COA) itself said that he has no PDAF allocations for 2007-2009, since Arroyo did not release his PDAF.
Two Cebu congressmen also denied giving part of their PDAF to Napoles.
Cebu City Rep. Raul de Mar said he has checked his PDAF records and there is no document showing he had allocated his fund to Napoles or any of her bogus non-government organizations.
“All of my PDAF allocations went to my district. I cannot understand why my name was included in the so-called Napoles list,†he said.
Del Mar said he could only surmise that his inclusion in the list was meant to muddle the pork barrel scam issue.
The second Cebu congressman on the list is neophyte Gerald Gullas.
“I am utterly shocked that I have supposedly been included in one of the many purported Napoles lists … The inclusion of my name in one of the lists is outrageous, and makes no sense at all,†Gullas said.
“This is my first term ever as a congressman. I was not a congressman between the time Janet Napoles and her gang of thieves were plundering public funds, until they were finally caught,†he said.
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. advised his colleagues whose names have been included in the Napoles list to prepare their defense backed by solid evidence.
Belmonte also reiterated that it would be better for appropriate government agencies to investigate the issue.
Belmonte said he had a chance to talk with several lawmakers named in the list and they strongly denied any involvement in the scam, with some saying their signatures in the ghost projects were forged.
“Some said the projects were, in fact, satisfactorily completed, and that they can prove it. Some are one-timers with small exposures, claiming they have been duped,†he said.
Belmonte pointed out that only 18 lawmakers out of 289 members of the House of Representatives are in the list of rehabilitation czar Panfilo Lacson, who said he obtained the list from Napoles’ husband, Jimmy.
“So far, this is just a list, except in a few cases with solid documented evidence,†he said.
With the lists coming from the camps of Napoles and whistle-blower Benhur Luy surfacing in the media, Escudero questioned the discrepancies.
He noted the names of some lawmakers are in one list but not in the other, citing the name of Senate President Franklin Drilon.
Citing news reports, Escudero noted fellow Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is in Luy’s list but not in Napoles’.
In the case of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, her name is in Luy’s list but not in Napoles’ list.
Vice President Jejomar Binay said he is hoping that the truth will come out in the ongoing controversy over the Napoles list.
“The Napoles case is being investigated. Hopefully, the truth will come out. Those who are responsible should be charged whether they are friends, relatives or allies of the administration,†Binay said.
Binay likened the existence of several lists to the “Hello, Garci†controversy where different versions of the supposed taped conversation between former election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano and Arroyo surfaced.
“According to the media, what is happening is like in the ‘Hello, Garci,’ Two tapes were presented. Now, there are three affidavits,†he said. – Jess Diaz, Paolo Romero, Jose Rodel Clapano