Gov't lawyer says agri projects in Enrile plunder case had manicure, pedicure services

The agricultural projects which are among the subject of the P172-million plunder case filed against former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile included manicure and pedicure services, a government lawyer said.

During the continuation of trial on Thursday, state prosecutor Jennifer Agustin-Se also said there was a mix up of the names and gender of the supposed recipients of the projects.

Agustin-Se made the disclosure when she opposed the proposal of Rony Garay, counsel of businesswoman Janet Napoles, one of the accused.

Garay wanted the prosecutors to stipulate that the La Union farmers who were among the 20 witnesses who testified for the prosecution on Thursday were not the same persons identified in the list of supposed beneficiaries presented by the state prosecutors as evidence.

“We cannot stipulate on that, your honors, because during the interviews, they (farmer witnesses) were asked of their respective barangays, and accordingly, your honors, they affirmed that they (names in the list) were not them. Although it appears they have been given different names, your honors, they (farmer witnesses) affirmed that there is no such person, and it appears that their names are being jumbled,” Agustin-Se said.

She cited the case of one farmer witness, Delfin Lales, who was identified as Delfina Lales in the list of supposed beneficiaries.

“They were given female names, your honors. After the interviews, they affirmed that there is no such person with such a female name, your honors,” Se added.

Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Bernelito Fernandez interjected and asked if farmer Delfin Llanes was made Delfina.

Agustin-Se responded, saying "Yes, your honors, because the agricultural package that was the subject matter of this your honors, is manicure and pedicure. So [it was a case of] male name to a female name, your honors.”

Fernandez then ruled that Garay’s proposal is already covered by the earlier stipulation agreed upon by both parties which states that “prosecution witnesses have no knowledge as to who included their names in the list of supposed beneficiaries.”

Garay submitted to the anti-graft court’s ruling.

The 20 witnesses presented by the prosecution on Thursday, including farmers and former San Gabriel, La Union Mayor Divina Daligues-Velasco, testified that they did not get agricultural packages even if they were identified in the list of the supposed beneficiaries of such purchase.

The prosecution and defense also agreed that the prosecution witnesses were unable to testify that the list of supposed beneficiaries came from the accused.  

Both parties also agreed that the witnesses were unable to testify as to the source of the list of supposed beneficiaries, and that there was no finding from the National Bureau of Investigation that their signatures were forged, among others.

The next trial hearing is set on March 23, and every Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2 p.m. thereon.

The court granted the prosecution’s urgent motion to cancel the trial hearing on March 21 since the next prosecution’s witness from the Commission on Audit will only be available on March 23.

Government prosecutors earlier committed to finish its presentation of evidence by the end of March.—LDF, GMA Integrated News