‘Pork’ scam whistleblower Merlina Suñas drops Baligod as lawyer

Merlina Suñas, one of the whistleblowers in the P10-billion pork barrel scam, has severed her ties with her legal counsel Atty. Levito Baligod. In a letter she signed before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Friday, Suñas confirmed that she will no longer employ Baligod's services in the pork barrel scam case. "Regrettably, I have decided to continue my battles without you guiding me," Suñas said in a letter, which was obtained by GMA News on Saturday, May 24. "With deepest gratitude for our friendship, I formally release you from your obligation to litigate on my behalf and to represent me as my legal counsel effective today, 23 May 2014," she added. Suñas, however, did not elaborate her decision further.

In March, principal whistleblower Benhur Luy had also dropped Baligod as his counsel. "I have noticed you were very busy with your other advocacies," Luy stated in the letter signed before the NBI. "That is why I have decided to pursue this journey even without you guiding me." At a Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on the pork barrel anomaly, Luy said Baligod was not able to assist him in the "numerous" legal cases he is facing. "'Yung cases po [laban] sa akin, hindi nabigyan ng oras... Kailangan ko po iyon. Hindi po ako sanay na ako ang nagpa-file ng kaso at ako ang sinasampahan ng kaso," Luy said. He added that Baligod rarely showed up when he needed to testify before government agencies. For several months, the three shared the media spotlight after exposing anomalies in the use of government funds from lawmakers in a scheme allegedly masterminded by businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, who is currently confined at the Ospital ng Makati. She faces charges for the serious illegal detention case filed by Luy. Napoles is facing plunder charges along with Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Revilla Jr., and several others regarding the P10-B pork barrel scam. As of posting time, Baligod has yet to make a reply to GMA News Online's queries. — Amanda Fernandez /VC, GMA News