Senators on Lacson's ‘Napolist’ refute pork allegations

Several senators reportedly included in the controversial list of pork barrel scam conspirators,   supposedly prepared by alleged mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles, on Tuesday denied the allegations against them.

The list submitted by former Senator Panfilo Lacson to the Senate blue ribbon committee contained seven additional names aside from Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, and Ramon Revilla Jr. who were already recommended to be charged with plunder by the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly receiving millions of pesos in kickbacks from the scam.

The new names -- all of them incumbent senators -- are Vicente Sotto III, Loren Legarda, Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, Alan Peter Cayetano, Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan II, Francis Escudero, and
JV Ejercito.

A separate list obtained by GMA News included Sotto, Miriam Defensor-Santiago and 11 other incumbent senators on the list—supposedly produced by Napoles—of government officials allegedly involved in the pork barrel scam.

President Aquino had earlier said Napoles gave three different lists to him, Justice Sec. Leila de Lima, and Lacson that contained different names.

Napoles, who is facing plunder charges in connection with the P10-billion pork scam, has submitted an affidavit to De Lima and has offered to become a state witness in the case.

No value

In a statement, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago belittled Napoles' supposed list, saying it "has no evidentiary value at all." She added that she "never had dealings with Napoles."

"Anyone can make lists. I was told that there is a list entitled 'Closeted gays or bisexuals in public service'," Santiago said.

The feisty lawmaker also criticized one of her staunch critics, former Senator Panfilo Lacson—whom she called "Pinky"—for supposedly linking her to Napoles.

Meanwhile, Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto III said in a text message: "Ayoko na patulan 'yang mga list list na 'yan. List of what? Utang? Pa-gwapuhan?"

For her part, Legarda denied knowing Napoles and making any transactions with her.

"Una ay talagang hindi ko sila kilala. Pangalawa, ang NGOs [non-government organizations] nila, hindi ko kilala o alam. Pangatlo at siguro pinakamahalaga, ni minsan ay wala akong inendorsong NGO sa kanila o sa iba pang NGO. Napakaliwanag," Legarda said in a separate interview.

Senator Marcos also denied links with the alleged pork barrel scam mastermind and pushed for the release of the Napoles list to end public speculation.

"If there's anything that has to be explained, I will explain... I don't know her," Marcos said.

Senator Francis Escudero, who was also tagged in the "Napolist," had earlier denied involvement in the alleged anomaly. —KBK/YA, GMA News