Senate panel asks De Lima to submit Napoles ‘pork’ list

(Updated 3:52 p.m.) The Senate blue ribbon committee has compelled Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to surrender to the panel the list prepared by detained suspect Janet Lim-Napoles naming her conspirators in the alleged pork barrel scam.

At a press briefing on Monday, Senate blue ribbon committee chairman Teofisto Guingona III announced that he has signed a subpoena to turn over the list to the panel.

"It is time already, in the spirit of transparency, that the list be brought out," Guingona told a press briefing. Senate President Franklin Drilon has already approved the subpoena, a member of his staff said.

In a text message to reporters, De Lima said she will comply with the Senate directive.

"Since it's a subpoena, I will comply," she told reporters shortly after Guingona's announcement.

Guingona, in his press briefing, said De Lima should also submit to the Senate blue ribbon committee all documents and affidavits related to Napoles' list.

"She] has to honor our request... Kukunin ko kung ano mang dokumento, listahan o affidavit na meron siya. We will most likely have a hearing," he said.

For its part, Malacañang said it was taking note of the developments.
Last month, De Lima announced that Napoles was ready to tell all on the alleged pork barrel scam. The controversial businesswoman supposedly produced a list of other government officials whom she supposedly transacted with involving public funds.

Despite calls from several lawmakers, De Lima has repeatedly refused to reveal the list, saying such a move would be "reckless" on her part. She also asked the Senate to give her enough space to validate Napoles' claims.

Plunder charges have been recommended against three incumbent senators—Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., Jinggoy Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile—by the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the scam allegedly engineered by Napoles.

Lacson's list too

At Monday's briefing, Guingona also said former Senator Panfilo Lacson, who also supposedly received a copy of Napoles' controversial list, has already committed to submit to the blue ribbon committee all documents in his possession.

"It is not only the list in the hands of Secretary De Lima, but also the list Senator Lacson has, so there's a point of comparison," Guingona said.

Earlier in the day, Lacson revealed that 21 former and incumbent senators, as well as two Cabinet members, are included on Napoles' list of conspirators. He also earlier said that the list can "dismantle" the Senate.

"May dalawang nasa administration ngayon na Cabinet officials [na nasa listahan]," Lacson said in the weekly Kapihan sa Diamond Hotel press conference. "Nangyari 'yung alleged participation nila bago pa sila naging parte ng Gabinete."

Lacson, however, did not identify the two Cabinet members.

The former senator earlier said he was given a copy of Napoles' list by the detained businesswoman's husband, Jaime Napoles.

On Sunday, President Benigno Aquino III, who also received a copy of Napoles' list, said the controversial businesswoman has three different versions of the list of her alleged conspirators.
 
A petition has also been filed at the Supreme Court to compel De Lima to make public the list supposedly prepared by Napoles. — with Kimberly Jane Tan/KBK/RSJ, GMA News