Jinggoy says Tuason may have visited other senators

MANILA -- Senator Jinggoy Estrada manifested on Wednesday's session that he wants the Senate security's review of closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera footage to include the 5th floor of the Senate building from 2010 onwards.

Estrada said CCTV footage on this floor, where the senators hold their offices, might show Ruby Tuason also visiting other senators aside from him.

He refused to identify the politicians, but said some are "former senators."

"Hindi ko character ang mangdamay ng ibang senador," he said.

Senate President Franklin Drilon, meanwhile, assured that they will show to the public the results of the CCTV review including, if it shows, Ruby Tuason visiting other senators aside from Estrada.

"Wala kami itatago. Kung ano ang available ilalabas namin ang mga pagbisita ni Ruby Tuason," Drilon said.

When asked whether he was also visited by Tuason, Drilon was quick to answer: "She did not approach my office, hindi yan lumapit sa aking opisina."

Meanwhile, Drilon said he agrees that the altercation between Guingona and Estrada on the pork barrel scam hearings must go to the Ethics Committee.

But he noted that they are having difficulty assigning an impartial senator to handle the committee.

"Totoo yun, sinisikap namin na humanap ng isang senador na neutral pero ang hirap," he said.

Pork scam probe

Drilon said it will be up to Guingona whether to stop the hearings on the pork barrel scam and shift to the Malampaya Fund scam.

The Senate president said he prefers that the remaining three weeks of their sessions be devoted to the approval of other important measures such as the Freedom of Information Bill and Tax Exemption of 13th Month Pay and Bonuses.

Guingona, for his part, said they are still inclined to continue the pork barrel scam hearing but are evaluating whether it would still be practical.

He said they still have to confirm who among those mentioned in the last hearing will be able to attend.

"We're still verifying who are still in the country," he said.

Guingona added that they have yet to issue any subpoena or invitations since they are awaiting information from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on the whereabouts of the personalities mentioned.

He assured that they will continue the hearing on the Malampaya fund scam. But no date has been set yet for that hearing.

Meanwhile, Senator Antonio Trillanes said he is amenable if the pork barrel investigation shifts to the Malampaya fund scam.

Like Drilon, he said he was also not approached by Tuason especially since during the years Tuason was allegedly visiting Estrada in the Senate, he was still holding office in his detention cell in Camp Crame.

Trillanes, however, challenged Estrada to start naming names than merely treating the sensitive accusations as blind items.

"Gumawa siya ng resolution to make it a different subject altogether, and he will be the main resource person doon sa resolution na gagawin niya. And sa akin nga, to spare everybody this exercise, sabihin mo na doon. Mag-privilege speech ka," he said.

"Sana ganoon na lang. Ayoko na kasi yung ganoong parang blind item yung dating. Parang nag-threaten ka, parang nili-leverage mo against somebody, might as well come out in the open if you have something to say," he added.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

LA Pinoys monitor Napoles Senate hearing

CALIFORNIA - While the Filipino community was holding a despedida for Los Angeles Deputy Consul General Dan Espiritu, many eyes were glued on to the television watching a bulletproof vest clad Janet Lim Napoles appear for her Senate hearing.

"She's guilty, guilty as hell," said Perla Avestro.

Los Angeles Filipinos have had a high interest in this case with the Napoles clan owning several properties and bank accounts in Southern California.

"She's very pitiful but she deserves it because she's facing the whistleblowers who are saying she's lying and her only defense is they are lying," said Arturo Garcia of the US Action Against Pork.

It started with a delay after she met with her public defendants. Napoles denied setting up the bogus nongovernment organizations where the lawmakers Priority Development Assistance Fund were funneled into. The whistleblowers meanwhile denied her denials.

"It's not punitive. It's just investigative. So it's basically a way to grandstand. So everyone is grandstanding except those who are accused. That's why those people who are excused like Enrile, Revilla, and Estrada do not present themselves. They just use their proxies," said Garcia.

As lawmakers took turns grilling the alleged pork barrel mastermind, one lawmaker linked to the scandal was not part of the hearing: Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who was in Northern California seeking medical treatment for his wife.

Filipinos had a mixed reaction on Estrada's absence.

"He said I want to have a face-to-face with her. But now, where is he?" Garcia asked.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Napoles denies setting up fake NGOs

‘I pity the Senators who were dragged into this’

Businesswoman Janet Napoles, the alleged mastermind of the pork barrel scam, denied Thursday setting up fake non-government organizations that allegedly received billions of pesos in pork barrel funds.

While Napoles confirmed that key whistleblower Benhur Luy is her former employee she denied ordering them to set up at least 20 NGOs that allegedly received priority development assistance funds.

She confirmed knowing the other whistleblowers, but denied some of them had worked for her at the JLN Corp.

She said she only set up one NGO, the Magdalena Luy Lim Foundation for Divine Mercy, which she used for her outreach program.

Luy, however, said Napoles was lying. "Sir, nagsisinungaling po siya. Totoo po yun," he said.

Napoles also denied funneling pork funds into the pockets of lawmakers.

Asked if she approached lawmakers and vice-versa to discuss the handling of the pork funds, she said: “Hindi po…Nakakaawa ang mga senador na nada-drag dito. Hindi totoo.”

Kickbacks and commissions

Luy said he acted as Napoles’ chief finance officer, which is why he got to know the kickbacks and commissions received by the lawmakers.

“Hindi sya CFO ko. Sa administration lang sya, kasi laging nasa religious activities. Sya ang may gawa nyan,” Napoles said.

Luy said, “since sinabi nyang religious ako, sinasabi ko ang totoo.”

Based on Luy's bookkeeping records, Senator Bong Revilla allegedly gave P652 million of his priority development assistance funds to Napoles NGOs. Luy said Revilla was supposed to have received P326 million, since there was an understanding he will get 50% of the PDAF.

Based on Luy’s book, Revilla allegedly got P224,512,500.

“May mga differences, kasi galing na kay Madam yung iba.”

For Senator Juan Ponce Enrile’s P726,550,000 worth of PDAF, he was supposed to have received P363,275,000. In Luy’s book. Enrile supposedly got P172,834,500.

For Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s P751,500,000, he was supposed to have received P375,750,000. Estrada supposedly received P183,793,750.

Executive session

Before her testimony, Napoles sought an executive session with the members of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

The committee headed by Senator TG Guingona suspended the hearing a second time within an hour into the proceedings after Napoles sought an executive session.

Asked for her reason, Napoles said, “dahil po sa sensitivity [ng issue].”

The actions of Napoles, the alleged whistleblower, shocked some political analysts who said they did not see it coming.

Political analyst Edmund Tayao said “it’s a good move” since it could mean she will tell all.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano agreed, but said anything that goes on in executive sessions will still come out in the public. He said, however, that the public may feel that the information will already become tainted.

Guingona rejected Napoles' plea since the matter does not involve national security.

The hearings finally started beginning at 11:00 a.m., with Guingona opening the first salvo. Napoles, nonetheless, was careful in her answers.

Asked for the background of JLN Corp., the company she started, Napoles said: “There is already a case in the BIR, let’s just wait for it.”

Guingona named one after the other the whistleblowers, but Napoles said not all of them were her employees.

The whistleblowers, one after the other, said she was not telling the truth.

Asked if she created the foundations alleged to have funneled the pork funds to lawmakers, she said she does not know the companies. She said she only knows of one, Magdalena Luy Lim Foundation, which she said was used for outreach projects.

“Pero lahat sila nagsasabi na ikaw ang gumawa."

Napoles answered, “hindi ko alam kung ano gusto nila sabihin. Tutal nasa Ombudsman na, hindi ko alam.”

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Million People March organizers want DAP scrapped

MANILA - Organizers of the Million People March in Makati City on Friday said they will renew their call to scrap all pork barrel funds including the controversial disbursement acceleration program (DAP) of the Department of Budget and Management.

Patricia Tan, spokesperson of the Scrap Pork Network, said the DAP is a form of pork barrel because of the discretionary power given to President Aquino and lawmakers over the fund.

"We consider that as pork. Kasama siya sa pork kasi isang definition of pork for us would be kailangan mo pa siyang ibigay sa legislators. Sinabi nga nila the P50 million for each senator came from DAP," she said in an interview on ABS-CBN's Umagang Kay Ganda.

Tan, however, said there is no proof that the DAP fund releases were used to bribe senators to convict Chief Justice Renato Corona during his impeachment trial.

"Mahirap kasi siya i-connect na eksaktong ganun yung nangyari. Sinasabi lang nila pero sa ngayon wala pa naman lumalabas na pruweba o witness. Sana kung may isang senador na sinasabi niya pinangakuan ako ng P50 million para bumoto ng convict siguro yun masasabi natin na na-impluwensiya. Pero kahit si Jinggoy sinasabi niya na tinanggap niya na nakatanggap ako ng pondo pero hindi nakaimpluwensiya ng boto ko," she said.

"Maybe if somebody comes out and says: 'Yes, I voted to convict because I was promised P50 million.' Nobody has said that," she added.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada first revealed the DAP after saying in a privilege speech that he got an additional P50 million in funds after he voted to convict Chief Justice Renato Corona in his Senate impeachment trial.

Estrada said the additional funds did not influence his vote in the Corona trial.

Budget Secretary Butch Abad earlier said the DAP was established to ramp up government spending after sluggish disbursements caused the country's GDP growth to slow down to just 3.6% in 2011.

He explained that aside from savings of agencies, the DAP is also comprised of unprogrammed funds due to revenues generated beyond the target such as GOCC (government-owned and controlled corporation) dividends, and budgets for slow-moving items or projects that have been realigned to support faster-disbursing projects.

Atty. Michelle Estor, a government employee, said participants in the anti-pork rally want to remove the discretionary powers of officials over public funds. She said it would be better to identify which projects would be funded by taxpayers' money before the funds are disbursed.

"What we want to remove is patronage politics, where people feel indebted because they were given money and projects," she said.

She said protesters will continue to call on government to scrap all kinds of pork barrel funds, punish those who pocketed the priority development assistance funds and make an accounting of how much pork has been spent.

The organizers also said they do not support calls for the ouster of President Aquino but said they cannot prevent people who have that agenda from joining the march.

"Hindi natin mapi-prevent 'yan. We have to be realistic na posibleng mangyari 'yan either a genuine push for that kind of call, which the Million People March does not share or may gustong manggulo," Estor said.

She said volunteer organizations joining the march have agreed that any call for Aquino's ouster will not be supported.

“Wala 'yan sa usapan. We will do everything in our power not to turn the rally into that situation. Linawin natin na walang call for PNoy to resign. Hindi 'yan ang panawagan ng Million People March. Ayaw naming magkaganun ang mangyayari mamaya,” she said.

She added that a change in leadership is not the solution to the problem about the pork barrel.

The Million People March will start at 3 p.m. at the Ayala corner Paseo de Roxas. A program will follow at 5 p.m., where several personalities including former National Treasurer Leonor Briones, Church leaders and Justice stakeholders will commit to “scrap pork.”

Performers include Lolita Carbon, Cookie Chua, Bayang Barrios, Jograd dela Torre, Darryl Shy and others.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

COA chief vows to get back 'misused' pork from Jinggoy

MANILA – Commission on Audit (COA) chairman Grace Pulido-Tan on Thursday vowed to get back pork barrel funds from Senator Jinggoy Estrada found to have been misused based on an audit report.

Pulido-Tan, who was called out by Estrada for presenting supposedly incomplete audit reports that seemed to focus on select lawmakers, said she will work on the "notice of disallowance" for Estrada.

Pulido-Tan explained that a notice of disallowance is COA's tool to get back public funds found to have been misused. The COA chief said notices of disallowance can be appealed all the way up to the Supreme Court.

"Siya ang aming unang padadalhan. Baka ma-disappoint na naman kasi siya, baka sabihin niya may pagkukulang na naman kami so I made a mental note sabi ko, 'kayo po ang unahin namin para hindi kami makalimot," Pulido-Tan told dzMM.

In his speech at the Senate yesterday, Estrada particularly noted that not a single notice of disallowance was issued under the special audit report for the pork barrel funds, officially known as Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), for the years 2007, 2008 and 2009.

"Mga kababayan, eto po ang kopya ng COA special audit report. More than 450 pages all in all. And nowhere, nowhere in all these pages can you find a single peso of disallowance or even a suspension! Ito po dapat ang nagpahagulgol kay chairman Pulido-Tan," Estrada said.

The special audit report revealed that Estrada and fellow minority senators Bong Revilla and Juan Ponce Enrile coursed their pork barrel funds to fake non-government organizations set up by businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles.

The report showed that several NGOs linked to Napoles received P1.23 billion from Estrada, Sen. Bong Revilla and Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile from 2007 to 2009.

Plunder, graft and malversation charges have since been filed against Estrada, Revilla, Enrile and 34 other people by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

In the complaint, the NBI said Estrada got P183,793,750 in kickbacks from businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles. The complaint said Revilla got P224,512,500 in kickbacks while Enrile got P174,834,500.

'Vindicated'

Tan said she was not hurt by Estrada's speech yesterday. She said COA was even vindicated after Estrada used the commision's data in citing the supposed misuse of funds of several lawmakers and government officials with close ties to the Aquino administration.

Among the names mentioned by Estrada are House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II, former An Waray party-list Representative Florencio Noel, senators Miriam Defensor Santiago and Alan Peter Cayetano, and former senators Francis Pangilinan and Manny Villar.

"Ang mga binaggit na pangalan ni Senador Jinggoy kagabi, na mga administration legislators daw, hinango lang sa aming sariling report. Kaya ako ay natutuawa dahil binigyan niya ng importansya ang aming report," she said.

After the plunder charges were filed, Estrada said he felt that the minority senators are being singled out by the government.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, in today's Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, however said that the cases were filed since the contents of the COA report have already been corroborated by the testimonies and documentary pieces of evidence of the whistle-blowers, mostly former Napoles employees.

Pulido-Tan, meanwhile, clarified that the COA did not conduct a special audit report on PDAF for only the period of 2007 to 2009 just to spare other lawmakers. She said after the learning of the findings of the special audit report, she ordered state auditors to begin a more thorough look at PDAF in the regular audit being conducted annually starting 2010.

"Ang dami naming PDAF report per agency - 2011, 2012, 2013. Ang nakakagulat, we see practically the same names of those involved in 2007 to 2009," she said.

She also belied Estrada's claim that the COA violated the law by prematurely disclosing audit reports without hearing the side of the involved agency.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Whistle-blower says lawmakers' aides got cash

Chiefs of staff of senators and congressmen personally got cash from the office of businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles as part of their cut from the pork barrel scam, whistle-blower Benhur Luy said Thursday.

Luy, a second cousin and former aide of Napoles, revealed that some of the lawmakers' chiefs of staff would sometimes accompany staff of JLN Group of Companies to withdraw money from Napoles' accounts.

"Cash po. Meron ho MC (manager's check) pero hindi nakapangalan sa senador. In the Lower House, it was fund transfers. They gave account numbers and we credited the money to their account," he said.

Luy said he never personally saw a senator or congressman receive the cash or checks but noted that he was sometimes asked to prepare the cash in their office, sometimes as much as P20 million.

"To the senators, it is the chiefs of staff who go to the office. There are instances when Mrs. Napoles asked us to prepare money, say P20 million, and say she is talking to a senator and she will bring the money," he said.

"It is the chief of staff who gets the money or sometimes they accompany us to the bank to withdraw the money," he added.

Some of the chiefs of staff got as much as 1% of the pork barrel in kickbacks, depending on how much money Napoles was willing to disburse, Luy said.

He also said their office at Discovery Suites had as much as P75 million in cash withdrawn from the different bank accounts of the foundations set up to receive the pork barrel funds.

Luy said Napoles would always pay 50% of the cut of the lawmakers once the proposed ghost project has been listed by the Department of Budget and Management. The remaining 50% cut of the lawmakers would be released once Napoles got the lawmakers' special allotment release orders.

He said Napoles also gave kickbacks to officials in several line agencies linked to the scam including the National Agribusiness Corp. (Nabcor) and Zamboanga del Norte College Rubber Estates Corp. (ZREC) of the Department of Agriculture; Technology Resources Center (TRC) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST); and, National Livelihood Development Corp. (NLDC) of Land Bank of the Philippines.

Luy has accused Napoles of setting up fake non-governmental organizations to act as conduits of lawmakers' pork barrel funds in exchange for a cut of the funds. An estimated P10 billion in lawmakers' funds were reportedly misused in the scam and pocketed by Napoles and corrupt government officials.

The Supreme Court recently issued a temporary restraining order stopping the Department of Budget and Management from releasing the remaining priority development assistance funds of lawmakers for 2013.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

3 senators, other lawmakers 'endorsed' bogus NGOs - witness

Former officials of subsidiaries of the Department of Agriculture (DA) named Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, and Ramon “Bong” Revilla as having endorsed their pork barrel funds to supposedly bogus non-government organizations (NGOs).

During the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Thursday, former National Agribusiness Corporation (NABCOR) vice-president for administration and finance Rhodora Mendoza said she was “very sure” that the three senators and several congressmen gave their endorsements to the NGOs, then represented by now pork barrel scam whistleblower Benhur Luy.

Luy would later point to businesswoman Janet Napoles as having started the scam to siphon lawmakers’ pork barrel to ghost projects and eventually to private pockets.

NABCOR is one of two Department of Agriculture (DA) subsidiaries that the Commission of Audit (COA) found to have had tie-ups with supposedly bogus NGOs.

Mendoza claimed Luy frequented the NABCOR office to follow up on NGO projects. She also said she met Napoles once, when she was invited to a “thanksgiving mass” at the Discovery Suites in Pasig City.

She also named other legislators as having given their endorsements to projects of NGOs linked to Napoles.

They are: Congressmen Conrado Estrella III, Erwin Chiongbian, Rodolfo Plaza, Victor Ortega, Samuel Dangwa, Edgardo Valdez, Mark Douglas Cagas, Rizalina Lanete, Arthur Pinggoy, and Rodolfo Valencia.

She said she relied on the documents submitted by Luy in assuming that the NGOs were aboveboard.

External audit

“Did one of the legislators show up [at NABCOR],” Guingona asked Mendoza, to which she answered, “none.”

She said that Luy submitted “external audit reports” that were also “certified correct by the legislators themselves because they have a list of beneficiaries.”

Officials of NABCOR and Zamboanga del Norte Agricultural College Rubber Estate Corp. (ZREC), implementing agencies for the pork barrel, earlier claimed they had validated the papers of the NGOs.

Prompted to answer if “kasama kayo or naloko kayo [you were with the NGOs or duped by them],” they said they were duped given the recent turn of events on the pork barrel scandal.

Mendoza was actually only at the Senate gallery but had to be called by her former boss, NABCOR President Allan Javellana, who said he couldn't remember the names of lawmakers who gave their Priority Development Assistance fund (PDAF) to NGOs linked to Napoles.

Ocular inspection

Click here for Senator TG Guingona's presentation at the 2nd pork barrel scam hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee

Earlier in the hearing, Blue Ribbon Committee chair Senator TG Guingona said his team made an ocular inspection of the Social Development Program for Farmers Foundation Inc. (SDPFFI), Magsasakang Ani para sa Magsasaka Foundation Inc. (MAMFI), and People’s Organization for Progress and Development Foundation Incorporated (POPDFI).

Based on the photos given to him which were shown during the hearing, Guingona said “something is really wrong. There seems to be a conspiracy to defraud Filipinos of their funds.”

Upon further prompting from Guingona, Javellana – who was NABCOR chief during the periods covered by the COA audit – said he can remember the three senators’ signatures on the audit and liquidation reports of the NGOs in question. He alleged the financial plans of the NGOs were also initialed by the lawmakers.

He admitted to knowing Napoles, who met with him twice at the Discovery Suites. Asked what was his business there, he said Napoles wanted to be educated about the functions of NABCOR.

“Who is Mrs. Napoles? Why go out of your way to meet her?” Guingona asked. He answered, “We’re looking for investors, not just Napoles…for joint ventures on the projects."

Former ZREC President Salvador Salacup also said the PDAF that was channeled through the DA subsidiary was that of “Congressman Valdez,” which was then forwarded to SDPFFI.

He said the rest of the pork funds channeled to them by the lawmakers were for Pangkabuhayan Foundation Inc., which was not named by COA as having connections to Napoles.

COA earlier said some of the NGOs may not necessarily be bogus, but lacked liquidation documents and audit papers.

He said he did not initially think the transactions were suspicious “because we had mechanisms in place.” He said they require NGOs to submit documentary evidence from the Securities and Exchange Commission, Bureau of Internal Revenue, mayor’s permits, certified financial statements, etc.

Salacup said there is also a mechanism in the agency’s memorandum of agreement with the NGOs where the money is given in tranches. “Each tranche was also noted by the legislators or their representatives," he said.

The implementing agency has retained earnings of 3% from the NGO projects.

No bidding

Senator Chiz Escudero, however, pointed out that there are only two modes of awarding a contract to an NGO. Salacup replied, “We were not procuring, we were only partnering with the NGO.”

Escudero pointed out, however, that laws and regulations prescribe either the bidding or negotiating of contracts. “And even in negotiated contracts, the NGO is required to come up with a performance or security bond.”

He said he could not believe that with the mere endorsement of legislators, they accepted “hook, line and sinker” the legality of the NGOs “in clear violation of the laws and regulations.”

“I can’t accept that officials would feign ignorance of these [rules],” he said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Court OKs Napoles transfer to Laguna

The Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) has granted the petition of alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles to be transferred to another detention facility, the clerk of court said on Friday.

In a 2-page decision, Makati RTC Branch 150 Judge Elmo Alameda ordered Napoles transferred to Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Alameda said Napoles is considered a “high profile detainee” and needs a safer jail facility.

Napoles is currently detained at the Makati City Jail, but her camp claims she is not safe there.

“Ang public hatred diyan ay hindi natin ma-control because ang dami nang galit sa kanya, hindi natin alam saan manggagaling ‘yan,” said one of Napoles’ lawyers, Atty. Lorna Kapunan.

The warden of the Makati City Jail, Chief Inspector Fermin Enriquez, also recommended that Napoles be transferred to another facility due to threats to her life.

Enriquez said he cannot personally guarantee the safety of Napoles.

He said there are only 6 female guards performing custodial duties for 104 female inmates, including Napoles.

He added that only 65 personnel are guarding the 545 male and female inmates at the Makati jail.

The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation Detection Group recommended to the court that Napoles be transferred to Fort Sto. Domingo, a training and seminar facility of the PNP Special Action Force.

“According to [the recommendation], ang facility daw doon ay mas OK. May enough security personnel compared to Makati City Jail na ‘yung ratio of inmates to security personnel is hindi talaga tama,” Clerk of Court Atty. Jospha Valencia said.

Among those who were previously detained at the Laguna facility were former President Joseph Estrada; Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Gringo Honasan; and Moro National Liberation Front leader Nur Misuari.

The facility has 2 air-conditioned bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, lounge area, television and VCD player, dining area, and kitchen area with range and oven toaster.

When Estrada was detained in Fort Sto. Domingo for plunder charges in 2001, then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was criticized for allegedly giving “special treatment” to Estrada. But then PNP chief Leandro Mendoza defended the Arroyo administration, saying Estrada as a former head of state should be allowed to keep his dignity.

Napoles and her brother, Reynald Lim, are facing charges of serious illegal detention of whistleblowers Benhur Luy. Lim is still at large.

Napoles is tagged as the mastermind of the alleged P10 billion pork barrel scam. -- Reports from Dexter Ganibe, dzMM; Ryan Chua, ABS-CBN News

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

After Napoles surrender, what now?

MANILA -- "What happens now?"

This was the question posed by one of the organizers of the Million People March following the surrender of businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles.

Napoles, who is facing charges for the serious illegal detention of key whistleblower Benhur Luy, is the alleged mastermind behind the P10 billion pork barrel scam.

She surrendered to President Benigno Aquino III Wednesday night while his brother Reynald Lim, also charged with serious illegal detention, is still at large.

In an interview with radio dzMM Thursday afternoon, netizen and activist Monet Silvestre said that while he is happy that Napoles is now finally in government custody, the country has still yet to see lawmakers charged for the alleged misuse of their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

Silvestre was one of the thousands of people who attended the Million People March at Luneta Park last Monday calling for the abolition of the pork barrel.

"Oo [happy] kasi nahuli na si Napoles," Silvestre said.

"[Pero] ang expectation ng mga dumalo nung Million People March pareho pa rin po -- to scrap the pork barrel and for the investigation to start as soon as possible in the most transparent manner," he added.

Aquino has abolished the current pork barrel system, the PDAF, proposing instead line-item budgeting of lawmakers' projects. He also rejected calls for the abolition of his own "pork barrel" or the President's Social Fund.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Thursday began its probe into the alleged pork barrel scam.

Nothing wrong with surrender to PNoy

Meanwhile, Silvestre said he sees nothing wrong with Napoles' decision to surrender to the President, noting that what is more important is that the businesswoman is now in the hands of the government.

"Sa akin yun ang importante kasi gusto ko makita kung saan hahantong ito eh... Super bantay lang ako sa kung anong mangyayari."

"Kung ganyan kalaki ang mga impormasyon na meron siya, kailangan secure talaga... Whatever yung naging proseso, di muna ako mag-iisip ng kung ano," he said.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda had explained that Napoles surrendered to Aquino due to security threats.

Some leftist groups, however, are not buying this, saying that Napoles' surrender may be part of a "well-written Palace script."

The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) and Kabataan party-list also believe that deals were made between Malacañang and Napoles, who is said to be close to a recently fired consultant of Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Filipinos also stage 'pork' protest in Canada

VANCOUVER, Canada - Their numbers may be far from the hundreds of thousands in Luneta, but kababayans in Vancouver didn't let this stop them from supporting the 'Million People March' in Manila against the Priority Development Assistance Fund, or 'pork barrel'.

"Itong protestang ito ipinapakita natin ang power natin. Yung galit ko, mga taong galing sa atin, magtatrabaho dito, iniwan pamilya para lang magtrabaho ipadala pera tapos makita mo yung mga politicians natin, dios mio, walang ginawa kundi magpayaman. It makes me emotional," said Treenee Lopez, president of the Global Pinoy Diaspora.

Kababayans turned a Sunday picnic into a protest. They say President Aquino's announcement on the scrapping of pork barrel was not enough. They called on kababayans in different parts of the world to stay vigilant.

"President Aquino so called scrapped the pork barrel only after we have planned a mass action, because of the pressure coming from the people he has to abide…accountability, transparency and prosecution. Baka nakakalimutan ng mga tao at gobyerno na ito ang susunod na dapat gawin. Hindi lang gobyerno, pati ang paka-vigilante ng mga mamamayan," said Freddie Bagunu said.

Various speakers shared their sentiments on the pork barrel issue. They gathered signatures to prove that despite being abroad, they are one with fellow Filipinos back home in disgust over abuses in the use of taxpayers' money.

"Nandoon pa rin ang puso ng mga Pinoy, hindi naman natin makakalimutan ang ating mga kababayan na naiwan sa Pilipinas," said Tony Calderon of One Fil-Coop.

Bagunu added, "Patuloy tayong maging vigilant. Tayo ay mga Pilipino, narito lamang para mag hanap-buhay. Ayaw natin bumalik doon sapagkat mahirap. Ma-swerte tayo sa Canada, we are comfortable here why do we have to do this mass action? Kasi nga po ang puso namin ay nasa Pilipinas pa rin."

They vow more protests will continue on the pork barrel issue.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Social media fuels massive PH anti-graft rally

MANILA - Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in the Philippine capital on Monday to voice outrage at corrupt politicians, in a modern-day "People Power" rally fuelled by social media.

The march, emulated on a smaller-scale in other cities around the country, was the largest anti-graft demonstration since President Benigno Aquino was elected in 2010 on a platform to fight corruption.

The protesters ranged from members of the clergy and students to businessmen, middle-class families, lawyers and other professionals, in a sign of the breadth of anger over graft in the impoverished nation.

But while few called for the ouster of Aquino, whose personal ratings remain high, there was widespread fury with politicians.

Retired university professor Teodoro Jurado, 80, said "We are all angry at all the stealing of the politicians. We are telling them that time is up."

Calls for protest began circulating on Facebook and Twitter about two weeks ago after a series of newspaper articles, many in the popular Philippine Daily Inquirer, about a mammoth scam involving legislators' Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

The PDAF is money allocated for lawmakers to be used in their pet development projects. Critics charge that they fund "pork barrel" projects which have traditionally been a source of corruption.

At the center of the controversy is a businesswoman the newspapers reported to have allegedly connived with legislators to syphon off some 10 billion pesos ($230 million) from the fund.

She has since gone into hiding after being charged with the illegal detention of a whistleblower.

Middle-aged physician Paz del Rosario, one of the protesters, said she attended "to be part of a historic event".

"Hopefully this will be the start of a bigger thing. All walks of life are here. This is from social media, the Internet, tweets and texts. There is no leader here," she said.

The influential Archbishop of Manila, Cardinal Luis Tagle, called on the crowd to be "honourable" and to work together for the less fortunate.

"Let us look upon the oppressed and the poor as our true brothers. Let us listen to the heartbeat of our nation and the voice of God," he said.

Church leaders have previously played crucial roles in calling up support for protests in the largely-Catholic Philippines such as the 1986 revolt that toppled the dictator Ferdinand Marcos and the 2001 uprising that overthrew the graft-tainted president Joseph Estrada.

In the 1986 revolt, radio stations had helped summon the populace while in the 2001 uprising, it was cellphone SMS or 'text' messages that brought many protesters out.

The resulting massive rallies eventually forced out Marcos and Estrada respectively.

Officials' misuse of funds has been long embedded and practically accepted in the Philippine political system.

Aquino had previously expanded the PDAF under his 2014 budget so that each senator will receive 200 million pesos ($4.5 million) while each member of the House of Representatives gets 70 million pesos for their "pork barrel."

But in the face of growing anger last week, the president announced that he was suspending the releases of money and vowed to reform the system.

At a speech marking the country's national heroes' day, Aquino said the government would catch those who stole state funds.

"We will do everything in our power to find those who conspired to take advantage of the PDAF's good intentions, and to hold them accountable," he said.

Organizers said that the rally drew as many as 400,000 people. Police were more conservative.

"It was most probably 60,000 to 70,000 during the rally. At most, I would say about 100,000," said national police spokesman Reuben Sindac.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Facebook protest sparks call for major Philippine rally

MANILA - Anger in social media at the misuse of Philippine state funds has snowballed into calls for a rally expected to attract thousands, an organiser said Sunday.

Calls for a "million people march" scheduled for Monday began circulating on Facebook and Twitter about two weeks ago after local press reports of a scam involving the Priority Development Assistance Fund.

The fund is money allocated for lawmakers to be used in development projects. Critics see it as funding "pork barrel" projects which have traditionally been a source of corruption.

At the centre of the controversy is a woman who allegedly connived with legislators to siphon off some 10 billion pesos (233 million dollars) from the fund.

"We demand transparency and accountability," the organisers said in their online invitation on Facebook. "Abolish pork barrel."

One of the organisers, Peachy Rallonza-Bretana, said the idea for the march originally circulated among her circle of friends but quickly caught on.

"There really is no group organising this," she told the Philippine Daily Inquirer, adding it was "snowballing at great speed".

As of Sunday afternoon, nearly 18,000 people had said they would join marches culminating in what the organisers said would be a peaceful "picnic get together" in Luneta Park in central Manila.

Activists in other cities have said they would hold simultaneous marches in support of the Manila protest.

Various religious, professional, business and leftist organisations have also signified interest in joining the protest.

"We are aghast, disgusted and enraged at such a wanton display of shamelessness by those who we elected to serve and protect the people," read a manifesto of support signed by some alumni of the elite Philippine Military Academy who are no longer on active duty.

"We cannot and we will not tolerate this any more even those from among our own," it said.

sourcw: www.abs-cbnnews.com

DA official linked to pork barrel scam replaced

MANILA - Agriculture chief Proceso Alcala on Wednesday said he ordered the Internal Audit Service to investigate alleged bogus non-government organizations linked to the P10 billion scam involving lawmakers' pork barrel funds.

In an interview, Alcala said he has already explained his side to President Aquino following an Inquirer report that the Department of Agriculture released almost P90 million to the fake NGOs linked to businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles.

He noted that it is usually lawmakers who endorse the NGOs.

Alcala told reporters it was only in August of last year that they accepted receiving and processing agri-fishery projects upon the insistence of lawmakers.

He also said that the project proposal came with a letter of endorsement from lawmakers endorsing their preferred NGOs.

He also said that only a fraction of an P83 million allocation that was supposed to be go to Kaupdanan para sa Mangunguma Foundation was released because of the safeguards set up by the department. The foundation is one of the NGOs linked to Napoles.

The DA chief has also relieved DA Assistant Secretary for Finance Ophelia Agawin of her duties in the selection of accredited NGOs by the department.

She was also asked to submit her reply to allegations that she chose the bogus NGOs that received millions of pesos in pork barrel funds.

Agawin was replaced by DA Assistant Secretary Edilberto de Luna as chair of the NGO-PO accreditation committee.

Agawin, however, will continue in her functions as assistant secretary for finance.

Alcala said he expects the Internal Audit Service to submit their initial report by tomorrow.

He vowed that whoever is guilty in his department would be punished, saying he does not tolerate corruption of taxpayers' money.

The DA reported a 1.4 percent growth increase in the agriculture industry in the first 6 months of 2013.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com