De Lima: Only fools will believe Aguirre, Napoles

Senator Leila de Lima on Tuesday dismissed the supposed complaint to be filed against her by alleged pork scam queen Janet Lim-Napoles as “worthless words,” saying only “fools” will believe her accusations.

Napoles, according to Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, is set to file charges against Senators De Lima, Antonio Trillanes IV, and Franklin Dirlon, as well as former Budget secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad over the multi-billion priority development assistance fund (PDAF) scam.

“Only fools will still believe Secretary Aguirre and Janet Lim Napoles,” De Lima said in a statement. “The woman who stole billions in the PDAF Scam is now being glorified to turn state witness against targeted opposition personalities.”

“What makes her anticipated complaint different from the lies she said in the past? A new-found morality? More like the promise of freedom from the Sandiganbayan trial where she is accused of plunder. Napoles has apparently cut a deal with the devils of this regime,” De Lima, a staunch critic of Duterte, said.

Aguirre earlier said Napoles may be used as a witness in a fresh probe into the PDAF scandal, following her acquittal by the Court of Appeals from the serious illegal detention case filed against her by her former aide, Benhur Luy.

De Lima said the Department of Justice (DOJ) under Aguirre has turned into a department “for the persecution of the opposition and the accompanying fabrication of charges.”

“There is no doubt about that. Partnerships with criminals no longer surprise us, this government having embraced criminality and impunity, its president being a mass murderer,” she said.

“Expect a complaint substantiated with nothing but Napoles's worthless words, and Aguirre's reputation for fake accusations. Justice in the Philippines now is a joke, the biggest joke since Aguirre was appointed Secretary of Justice. Unfortunately, it's a joke that imprisons and punishes the innocent and rewards criminals,” De Lima added. — Kathrina Charmaine Alvarez/RSJ, GMA News