Whistleblowers: Names of 'incorporators' in Napoles NGOs lifted from phone directory

Aside from the list of board passers, the telephone directory is also a source of names for controversial trader Janet Lim-Napoles to be used as supposed incorporators of her allegedly fake non-government organizations (NGOs).

“Yung isang foundation, telephone directory ang kinuha kasi wala nang maisip na pangalan, naubusan na,” a former Napoles employee told GMA News' Susan Enriquez.

The witness said she, along with another former Napoles employee, had been ordered to produce names and signatures for the bogus organizations allegedly used by Napoles to funnel funds from lawmakers.

The two, who are considered whistleblowers in the P10-billion pork barrel scam, used to work as a finance officer and bookkeeper of Napoles. They both covered their heads during the interview to protect their identities.

Napoles, currently detained in connection with a serious illegal detention case, has repeatedly denied involvement in the pork barrel scam.

The two expressed readiness to face the Senate investigation on the supposed pork barrel scam as they insisted that they surfaced voluntarily and did not receive anything in return.

“Voluntary po namin na ginawa ito, walang pong in-offer sa amin. Ipina-explain lang ng attorney namin kung ano (ang) magiging consequence sa action na gagawin namin,” one of the whistleblowers said.

The other whistleblower said they decided to come out because of the support of the people in the fight against corruption and misuse of the pork barrel funds.

The two also said they fear for the lives of their families.

“Sa mga ginawa ng taumbayan para mailabas ito, yun po ang nagbigay ng lakas ng loob sa amin na lumabas at saka sa takot na kung ano ang mangyari sa pamilya namin,” one whistleblower said.

“Kung kakailanganin na humarap pero mas maganda nga na humarap kami para malaman na kung ano ang katotohanan, hindi ang mga NGOs ang nadidiin dito. Kailangan talaga lang ang suporta ng buong Pilipinas, ang bayan talaga nang matapos na ang kalokohang ito,” the other said.

In a separate interview on GMA News' “Unang Hirit,” one of the whistleblowers said those listed as trustees in the NGOs were not aware that their names were used.

“Yung mga tao na inilalagay bilang trustee na hindi nila alam. Tapos inuutusan kami ni Janet Napoles na kami na lang ang pumirma sa kanila,” she said.

“Doon naman sa mga NGOs kung walang names, naubos na ang pamilya namin, sa telephone directory naman nanggagaling ang pangalan,” the other said.

They also confirmed that the list of beneficiaries of the NGOs was fictitious.

“Ang mga beneficiaries halos lahat doon pinepeke namin ang pirma, maraming list of names na kami ang namemeke ng mga pirma, meron naman kung walang list kami ang bahalang mag-isip kung anong mga pangalan ang ilalagay namin doon na aangkop doon sa lugar na pagdadalhan ng grants na yun,” one of them said.

A Commission on Audit special report said ITO NA Movement Foundation, Inc. (ITONAMI) submitted names taken from the list of board passers in various professions as their projects' beneficiaries from 2007 to 2008.

One of the whistleblowers said she helped set up 19 NGOs under Napoles.

“Ang ipinagawa sa akin 19 dahil may existing na isa,” she said, adding that at least three people worked for the setting up of the NGOs but all the people in their office signed for the names of the beneficiaries.

Asked how much money went to the 19 NGOs, the whistleblowers said they do not know as their job ends when the organization has been set up.

“Hindi ko masasabi, hanggang dun lang ang aking participation. Sina (Merlina) Suñas, Benhur Luy, Evelyn de Leon, John Lim ang na nakakaalam dyan. Kung ano yung pinalabas sa dyaryo more or less yun,” the whistleblower said, referring to other names associated with Napoles, some of whom are also considered whistleblowers in the case.

“Wala akong exact idea. Ang ginagawa ko lang ay declaration sa BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) ng amount na nanggagaling sa approval ni Napoles,” the other said. — Amita Legaspi/KBK, GMA News