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Napoles willing to open bank records for pork barrel 'scam' probe


Janet Lim Napoles, the businesswoman at the center of the alleged pork barrel scam, is willing to open her bank records for scrutiny in connection with the investigation on the supposed anomaly that has dragged the names of several prominent lawmakers.

"The answer is yes (but) with the appropriate court order," said Napoles' counsel Lorna Kapunan at a press briefing Friday when asked if they would open Napoles' bank records to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which is currently investigating the case.

Napoles is being implicated in a P10-billion scam involving ghost projects allegedly used for kickbacks by lawmakers. Benhur Luy, reportedly a former Napoles employee, claimed the funds allocated for the projects will be deposited to bogus foundations and then withdrawn and transferred to Napoles' bank accounts.

Kapunan dared investigators to unmask the supposed backers of Luy, who is the whistleblower in the case.

Luy's backers?

"Si Benhur kaya ang gumawa ng scam na 'yan? Who told him to forge the signatures? Who told him to fix the companies? We want to know. Sino ang nag-release ng funds galing sa Department of Agriculture?" Kapunan asked.

"Sa experience niya at sa pinag-aralan niya, kaya ba niyang isipin itong scam na ito? Who are those who have helped or are in conspiracy with Benhur? 'Yun ang dapat tanungin ng NBI," she added.

Kapunan claimed there was "betrayal of trust" on the part of Luy as he supposedly stole the money of Napoles' company, JLN Corp., for his own gains despite the supposed financial help given by Napoles to his family.

Napoles had earlier said Luy is the son of her househelp.

"Ikaw ba, pinaaral ka, pinakain ka after 25 years, ninakaw mo 'yung pera ng kumpanya, nag-form ka pa ng ibang companies, tapos ginagamit mo pangalan ng benefactor mo. Is that gratitude?" Kapunan said.

Luy, in various published reports, claimed he was detained by Napoles for three months in a Taguig City condominium after she learned that he was setting up his own similar business.

Lawmakers involved
 
A report in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, which broke the story on the alleged scam, named five senators and 23 members of the House of Representatives who have allegedly made their PDAF allocations available to Napoles’ group.
 
According to the article, Senator Bong Revilla topped the list with 22 instances recorded at the Securities and Exchange Commission.
 
He is followed by former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile with 21, Senate Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada with 18, Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. with four, and Sen. Gringo Honasan with one.  — Marc Jayson Cayabyab/KBK, GMA News

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