Bong Revilla welcomes Napoles’ provisional admission to WPP

Detained former Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. on Tuesday welcomed the provisional admission of alleged pork barrel fund scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles to the Witness Protection Program (WPP) of the Department of Justice (DOJ).

In a chance interview with reporters at the Sandiganbayan, Revilla said turning Napoles as a state witness may help his plunder case on the multi-billion-peso scheme in case his defense panel decides to call her to the witness stand.

"Okay lang sa akin. Dati ko pa naman sinasabi na magandang mag-testify siya. Wala naman ako nakikitang problema doon, baka nga makatulong pa sa kaso ko yun. Baka nga ma-clear pa niya ako, kaya mas maganda kung siya umupo," Revilla said.

Revilla said the prosecution has so far proven nothing on the accusations that he received public funds by funneling his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to fake non-government organizations of Napoles.

He added that even PDAF scam whistle-blower Benhuy Luy admitted they were not acquiantances.

"Wala naman silang napatunayan. Hindi ko naman kilala si Napoles. Hindi ko naman kilala si Benhur Luy, nanggaling na rin mismo sa bibig niya niya na hindi niya ako nakikita, na hindi niya ako kilala. Wala rin silang napatunayan na may pumasok sa bank accounts ko, ni piso wala silang napatunayang pumasok," Revilla said.

The former lawmaker also lamented his days in detention, saying he already spent a total of 1,375 days in jail while his former colleagues, Jinggoy Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile, have already secured their temporary freedom.

"Ako na lang yung naiwan (sa kulungan). Unfair naman yata yun. Tatlo kaming pinin-down na senador pero ako na lang naiwan," Revilla said.

Lead defense counsel Estelito Mendoza, for his part, said Napoles as a state witness has "no consequence" in the case of Revilla.

Napoles had bared that the DOJ has provisionally placed her to the WPP.

Meeting in Malacañang

Her lawyer, Stephen David, said the urgent motion to have Napoles transfer to a secure housing facility came after a meeting with Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II in Malacañang.

Both Medialdea and Aguirre denied giving advice to David. The DOJ chief, however, confirmed the Palace meeting.

David declined to comment on the statements of the Cabinet officials.

He, however, told the Sandiganbayan First Division that the DOJ will file its own comment on the move to transfer Napoles' custody to the WPP after conferring with Aguirre.

"I conferred with the Secretary of Justice and he asked a copy of the motion. (Aguirre) told me that they will just file a comment," David said.

The Sandiganbayan gave no deadline for the DOJ to file its comment since the agency is not a party in the case. — RSJ, GMA News