Santiago to Napoles: Tell the truth so the guilty ones won't kill you

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago on Thursday urged detained trader Janet Lim-Napoles to name the "most guilty" in the pork barrel scam that the latter allegedly masterminded, so that the lawmakers implicated in the scheme would not hurt her.

 

"Tell the truth before the senators affected (by the pork barrel scam) have you assassinated," Santiago told Napoles during the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on the pork barrel scam.
 

 

"Kung si Enrile ang most guilty, sabihin mo na para hindi ka ipapatay. 'Wag mo i-underestimate si Enrile. May asim pa si Tanda," she said during the nationally televised hearing.

 

Santiago added that whenever Enrile goes to the restroom, a security aide carrying a high-powered firearm guards the door.

 

She reminded Napoles that Enrile, who served as Defense Secretary during the regime of strongman Ferdinand Marcos, spent most of his career with the military.

 

"Kaya ganyan ang ugali niyan. Akala niya utusan at alipin niya kami. He treats us all as slaves," said Santiago, who is known to be at odds with Enrile on various issues.

Enrile, Estrada, and Revilla were not present during Thursday's hearing.

Napoles husband
 

Napoles said her husband Jaime, a retired Marine major nicknamed “Jimmy,” does not know Enrile.

 

She also denied reports that Jimmy had been detained for involvement in a failed coup attempt, where he came to know ex-colonel and now Senator Gringo Honasan.

 

"Hindi po nakulong ang asawa ko," Napoles said.

Murderous

 

During the hearing, Santiago asked Napoles about the identities of Tanda, Pogi, and Sexy, whom whistleblower Benhur Luy had mentioned in his earlier testimony at the Senate probe. Napoles refused to answer the question and invoked her right against self-incrimination.

 

The senator told Napoles she could become a state witness if she would divulge the identity of the most guilty parties in the pork barrel scam, in which government funds were allegedly funneled into ghost projects and bogus foundations.

 

"A state witness should not be the most guilty. Ikaw, sana 'yun din ang hangarin mo, (na) makalaya ka at walang pananagutan sa batas," she said.

 

Santiago warned Napoles, who is also facing plunder charges at the Ombudsman, that her life could be in danger if she continues to remain silent about the accusations against her.

 

"Maraming gustong patayin ka. Sabihin mo na ang gusto mong sabihin para hindi ka ipapatay. 'Pag pinayagan mo 'yan, maaaring ikaw ang maging guilty," she said.

 

"These people are murderous, not only homicidal. Napakalawak ng sakop niya. Maraming pera 'yan," she added.

40 years in jail

 

In an interrogation session punctuated by side comments and off-topic remarks, Santiago warned Napoles about the consequences of her silence on the pork barrel controversy.

 

"You can be jailed for 20 to 40 years. Wala pa silang naiimbentong cream that would take away 20 to 40 years from the skin. Malaking disgrasya 'yun sa isang babae," she said.

 

The hearing was suspended to allow Napoles, a diabetic, to eat lunch after she complained that she was getting dizzy. —KG/YA, GMA News