GMA Brandtalk
Tracking
Archives
ADVERTISEMENT
Filtered By: Topstories
News
Drilon admits partying with Napoles but denies deal-making
(Updated 2:32 p.m.) He only partied with her.
That was Senate President Franklin Drilon's response to insinuations that there was more to the photo of him next to businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles that was aired on GMA News on Tuesday.
In an interview, Drilon said that although he had met Napoles at a party, he never struck any pork deals with her.
“Kaming mga pulitiko marami kaming nakikilala. Hindi ko alam ang kanyang negosyo. Siya po ay ipinakilala sa akin. Other than that, wala naman kaming ibang transaksyon,” he said.
Drilon made the denial after photos, sent by a source to GMA News' Arnold Clavio, surfaced showing him and his wife Mila partying with Napoles and her husband Jimmy. The photos were reportedly taken at what is believed to be Heritage Park, an upscale cemetery where the Napoleses are known to hold parties in an air-conditioned tent
It was at Heritage Park where Napoles met with presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda on the night of August 28 when she surrendered to President Benigno Aquino III, ending a nationwide manhunt on her by the police and government agents. She is currently detained over a serious illegal detention charge.
Drilon has the Commission on Audit (COA) on his side, as he was not among the senators who were named in a report as having allocated portions of their pork barrel, or Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), to non-government organizations (NGOs) linked with Napoles.
"I'm going on record before any petition can be made, wala akong dealings kay Ms. Napoles," Drilon said. "Wala akong ginamit na PDAF sa kanyang NGO at ang lahat ko na PDAF ay nasa record kung saan napunta."
He added that his PDAF went to public works, the Philippine General Hospital, the National Kidney Center, and other government hospitals.
The COA had earlier said that four senators gave over P1 billion to NGOs linked to Napoles from 2007 to 2009. These were Senators Bong Revilla Jr. (P483.49 million), Juan Ponce Enrile (P332.7 million), Jinggoy Estrada (P262.575 million) and Gringo Honasan (P14.55 million).
A 2012 COA report said Senators Loren Legarda and Bongbong Marcos gave P15 million and P10 million, respectively, to Pilar and Dinalupihan municipalities in Bataan, which released the money to People's Organization for Progress and Development Foundation, Inc. (POPDF), one of the NGOs that the COA had earlier linked to Napoles.
More pictures
That was Senate President Franklin Drilon's response to insinuations that there was more to the photo of him next to businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles that was aired on GMA News on Tuesday.
In an interview, Drilon said that although he had met Napoles at a party, he never struck any pork deals with her.
“Kaming mga pulitiko marami kaming nakikilala. Hindi ko alam ang kanyang negosyo. Siya po ay ipinakilala sa akin. Other than that, wala naman kaming ibang transaksyon,” he said.
Drilon made the denial after photos, sent by a source to GMA News' Arnold Clavio, surfaced showing him and his wife Mila partying with Napoles and her husband Jimmy. The photos were reportedly taken at what is believed to be Heritage Park, an upscale cemetery where the Napoleses are known to hold parties in an air-conditioned tent
It was at Heritage Park where Napoles met with presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda on the night of August 28 when she surrendered to President Benigno Aquino III, ending a nationwide manhunt on her by the police and government agents. She is currently detained over a serious illegal detention charge.
Drilon has the Commission on Audit (COA) on his side, as he was not among the senators who were named in a report as having allocated portions of their pork barrel, or Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), to non-government organizations (NGOs) linked with Napoles.
"I'm going on record before any petition can be made, wala akong dealings kay Ms. Napoles," Drilon said. "Wala akong ginamit na PDAF sa kanyang NGO at ang lahat ko na PDAF ay nasa record kung saan napunta."
He added that his PDAF went to public works, the Philippine General Hospital, the National Kidney Center, and other government hospitals.
The COA had earlier said that four senators gave over P1 billion to NGOs linked to Napoles from 2007 to 2009. These were Senators Bong Revilla Jr. (P483.49 million), Juan Ponce Enrile (P332.7 million), Jinggoy Estrada (P262.575 million) and Gringo Honasan (P14.55 million).
A 2012 COA report said Senators Loren Legarda and Bongbong Marcos gave P15 million and P10 million, respectively, to Pilar and Dinalupihan municipalities in Bataan, which released the money to People's Organization for Progress and Development Foundation, Inc. (POPDF), one of the NGOs that the COA had earlier linked to Napoles.
More pictures
At a separate press briefing on Tuesday, Drilon explained that he and his wife were only invited to the event, which he said was also attended by Church workers.
"Mrs. Drilon, being an active Church worker, was invited because the guests were seminarians from China who were here on study tour. There were orphans and street children who were beneficiaries of a Church-led feeding program," Drilon said.
The Senate president, however, could not recall who introduced him to Napoles, and what exact year this event was held.
He likewise said that he will not be surprised if more of his pictures with Napoles will surface, admitting that he has seen the controversial businesswoman three or four more times in social gatherings.
"There can be other pictures. Kami namang mga pulitiko, marami naman pong nagpapa-picture sa amin. Hindi namin tinatanong, 'Hoy sino ka ba?'" he said.
Drilon further described the release of these pictures as part of a "clear effort to implicate [him] as guilty by association."
When asked about the people behind this supposed "effort" against him, Drilon said, "I have information but it's all conclusions which I do not want to get into."
He added that he will no longer go as far as tracing the source of these photos, and will just defend himself from "unfair accusations." — Amita O. Legaspi and Andreo Calonzo/KBK/RSJ, GMA News
More Videos
Most Popular
