Pork scam whistleblower helped in Bong's defense - lawyer

MANILA, Philippines - A former employee of businesswoman Janet Napoles and pork barrel whistleblower has helped the defense of Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. with her testimony that she never saw the legislator receiving "commissions" for livelihood projects from bogus non-government organizations.

During the end of the cross examination of Merlina Suñas at Revilla's bail hearing before the Sandiganbayan's First Division on Thursday, lawyer Joel Bodegon claimed her testimony contributed  to the senator's defense.

"Nagpapasalamat kami kay Mrs. Suñas sa kanyang tulong sa depensa ni Senador Bong Revilla," Bodegon said.

Revilla, along with his legislative staff Richard Cambe, is now facing plunder and graft charges before the anti-graft court in connection with the P10-billion pork barrel scam.

Suñas earlier testified that she personally saw Cambe received money on behalf of Revilla on four occasions inside the JLN Corp. office of Napoles in Ortigas, Pasig City.

In 2006, she said Cambe received money twice on separate dates including P5 million that she personally handed to him.

She said that during the second incident, Cambe received P5 million from Napoles in her's and Luy's presence.

Suñas claimed that in 2008, Cambe received on separate dates P5 million and P10 million that were handed to him by Luy. She added that she had helped count the money in these two occasions.

Asked how she knew Cambe gave the money to Revilla, Suñas said she overheard the phone conversations of Napoles, confirming that Revilla got the commissions.

Bodegon said that the testimony of Suñas regarding the phone conversation between Napoles and Revilla is considered hearsay and that it should have no bearing in the case.

Justice Undersecretary Jose Justiniano of the prosecution panel said Suñas was presented to the tribunal to show that Revilla endorsed the same NGOs connected with Napoles.