Napoles seen to tag higher-ranking officials in DOJ’s probe on pork barrel scam

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Thursday met with the camp of detained businesswoman Janet Napoles to explore the possibility of her turning into a state witness in the multi-billion peso pork barrel scam.

“We’re just exploring the possibility that my client will be admitted to the Witness Protection Program (WPP), basically 'yun lang naman. On our part, we’re requesting that she be given proper security ‘pag natuloy proposition na yun,” Napoles' lawyer Stephen David told reporters at the Department of Justice (DOJ) after the meeting.

David said Napoles expressed readiness to reveal more names "higher" than lawmakers that allegedly benefited from siphoning off the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocations through ghost projects carried out by the businesswoman's fake non-government organizations.

He refused to disclose details.

Aguirre, for his part, assured the DOJ will conduct an impartial investigation on the scam.

"'Yun ang direction natin. Kung sino ang lalabas na involved, 'yun ang ating ipu-pursue...Kahit anong partido kasi pag partido lamang ng LP [Liberal Party] then selective [justice] naman 'yan," he said.

"[Janet] Napoles might be used not against the opposition but against those guilty or responsible. Whether you are in the opposition or in the administration if the evidence will show you are responsible then you should clear your name, answer the accusations against you. Otherwise, prepare for your trial," Aguirre added.

He said the probe will not be limited to Napoles NGOs employing the same corruption scheme. 

David said there had been talks with the Aquino administration about tapping Napoles as state witness but this did not materialize since some of those allegedly involved in the scam were political allies.

The possibility of Napoles of turning into state witness came to the fore after the Court of Appeals (CA) acquitted her in the serious illegal detention case lodged by her former aide and cousin Benhur Luy.

Luy is the main whistleblower in the scam.

Following the release of the decision, Napoles' camp said she is open to turn state witness if the government would ask her to testify against lawmakers and other government officials accused in connection with the scam.

David said they would also move for her transfer to the National Bureau of Investigation Detention Center while she continues to face trial for a string of plunder and graft cases before the Sandiganbayan. 

Napoles cited death threats, which her camp said "became serious and strong" when Aguirre broached the possibility of her turning state witness against some high-ranking government officials regarding the scam.

David believes the threats, although absent solid proof, come from "public officials who want Mrs. Napoles to keep silent and not expose her knowledge on the issues she was in," according to the lawyer's letter requesting Aguirre to transfer Napoles to the NBI.

Aguirre said he is backing Napoles' request. —NB, GMA News