Lawmakers most guilty in scam – Napoles

Lawmakers are the most guilty in the P10-billion pork barrel scam. 

So declared the alleged engineer of the massive fraud, Janet Lim-Napoles, in a text message to GMA News, an exclusive report on “Saksi” said on Thursday night.

 

Napoles said the scam wouldn't have worked if lawmakers didn't make available their priority development assistance funds to her non-government organizations.

 

"Kung walang senator o congressman ang mag-aalok sa kanilang SARO [special release allotment orders] at magko-coordinate sa implementing agency na pumipili ng NGO [non-government organizations], 'di maisasakatuparan ang PDAF scam," Napoles said.

In Napoles' alleged modus operandi, lawmakers channel millions of pesos in priority development assistance fund allocations to her dubious NGOs for supposed livelihood projects mostly meant for poor agricultural communities in the countryside.  

Instead of being spent for the programs, the funds are converted into fat kickbacks for Napoles, the lawmakers and their conspirators in the implementing agencies that release the allocations.

 

GMA News Online contacted Napoles' lawyer, Bruce Rivera, to elaborate on his client's statements but he has yet to respond as of posting time.

 

The SARO is a document issued before by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to allow release of lump-sum funds like the PDAF. The agency has since already scrapped the SARO system after the documents have been faked in connection with a scam.

 

Principal scam whistleblower Benhur Luy has said that Napoles released a portion of the pork barrel kickbacks to lawmakers once she receives a copy of the SARO.

 

'Corruptor of public officials'

 

Luy's lawyer Raji Mendoza, however, maintained that Napoles seems to be the most guilty among all the accused, since she is the "architect" of the alleged pork barrel scam.

 

"Siya po ang operator. Siya po ang corruptor ng public officials... Maaring may iba pero hindi po puwedeng hindi siya ang principal," he said in a separate text message to GMA News.

 

Mendoza earlier questioned the credibility of Napoles, who wants to turn state witness.

 

Under the law, an individual may qualify to be a state witness if he or she is not the most guilty of a crime. His or her testimony on a grave offense must also be "absolute necessity."

 

If Napoles becomes state witness, she will gain immunity from cases connected to the scam.

 

The Ombudsman has already found probable cause to indict Napoles for plunder before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the scam.

 

It has also already found probable cause to similarly indict senators Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr., Jinggoy Estrada, and Juan Ponce Enrile, as well as former members of the House of Representatives and heads of government agencies supposedly used as conduits for the supposed scam. —Andreo Calonzo/NB, GMA News