Napoles defends Revilla over alleged P87M unexplained wealth

Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged brains behind the pork barrel scam, on Friday came to the defense of Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. over the alleged P87 million unexplained wealth found in his bank accounts at the height of the supposed scam.

“May pera naman siya, may production company nga siya, di ba? Yung Imus Productions,” Napoles said in a chance interview after the hearing of her petition for bail before the Sandiganbayan Third Division.

“Saka artista siya, malaki ang kita niya dun,” she added.

On Thursday, Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) investigator Leigh Vhon Santos said millions of pesos deposited in the bank accounts of Revilla may have been acquired illegally as their sources remain unexplained.

“We have reasons to presume that this amount came from the PDAF scam, considering the testimonies of the witnesses, the ledger of Benhur Luy and the bank withdrawal and deposit slips that we have examined,” Santos said during his cross-examination at the hearing of Revilla’s petition for bail before the Sandiganbayan First Division.

Santos said this was based on a 67-page report on the results of AMLC's investigations on the 81 bank accounts of Revilla and his immediate family members.

According to AMLC, between April 6, 2006 to April 28, 2010, Revilla and his immediate family made numerous deposits to their various bank accounts and placed investments totaling P87,626,587.63 within 30 days from the dates mentioned in whistleblower Benhur Luy's ledger.

It said Revilla, through his senor staff Richard Cambe, allegedly received commissions of rebates to his pork barrel — or Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) — in cash.

Santos also said that huge amounts found in Revilla’s bank accounts were not declared in his Statement of Assets Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).

Santos pointed out that based on Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, non-disclosure or misdeclaration of assets constitutes a presumption that such assets were illegally acquired.

Revilla had earlier denied the allegation, saying that the money in his bank accounts were mostly from his income as an actor.

Napoles’ lawyer, Stephen David, likewise came to Revilla’s defense.

“Kausap ko nga si Bong kahapon...Sabi niya ‘Attorney yung kinita ko nga sa 'Indio' alam, mo ba kung magkano? P40 million.’ Tapos sabi niya meron pa siyang mga product endorsements, pelikula at TV series. E kung P87 million lang attorney, napakaliit naman niyan’,” David said quoting Revilla.

Napoles and Revilla are both facing plunder and graft charges in connection with the pork barrel fund scam.

Revilla is currently detained at Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center while Napoles is detained at the BJMP Female Dormitory in Taguig. —KBK, GMA News