Bong to be detained in Camp Crame

Senator Ramon "Bong'' Revilla Jr. will be detained at the headquarters of the Philippine National Police in Camp Crame, the Sandiganbayan said.

The anti-graft court's first division, chaired by Associate Justice Efren dela Cruz, approved Revilla's request that he be detained in Camp Crame and released a commitment order for the senator's detention.

Revilla arrived in Camp Crame at around 1 p.m. and went straight to the PNP multi-purpose center to undergo processing.

PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac said Revilla underwent physical examination and had his fingerprints taken.

Mugshots will be taken afterwards, Sindac said.

Revilla will be detained at the PNP Custodial Center.

Revilla has filed a motion for bail before the Sandiganbayan. The anti-graft court will hear this motion on June 26, after Revilla's arraignment.

Revilla is accused of amassing P242 million from his pork barrel funds. He has denied the accusations, saying his signature in the pork barrel releases were forged.

Revilla's camp has asked the Supreme Court to reverse and annul the Office of the Ombudsman's resolutions that found probable cause against him, and junked his motion for reconsideration.

Revilla claimed the Ombudsman violated his right to due process, and the cases against him were born out of government's intent to persecute him. - reports from Johnson Manabat, dzMM; and Jenny Reyes, ABS-CBN News

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source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Group eyes SC help to open Napoles list

MANILA – A whistleblowers group on Friday said it will ask the Supreme Court (SC) to order Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to finally release the copy of Janet Lim Napoles' list of people supposedly involved in the pork barrel scam.

Whistleblowers Association of the Philippines President Sandra Cam said her group will file a petition for mandamus before the SC next week to order de Lima to make the list public.

The supposed list is contained in the sworn statement that Napoles earlier submitted to de Lima following her decision to ''tell all'' that she knows about the scam.

"Ako ay nagcha-challenge sa kanya ng face off para makita kung sino sa amin ang nagsisinungaling pagdating diyan sa mga dokumento na dapat niyang ilutang sa publiko dahil binabayaran siya ni Juan dela Cruz,'' Cam told dzMM.

"Sobra na itong ginagawa ng secretary of Justice... Lalabas kami kahit sa tingin niya ay maliliit na tao lang kami... Lalaban kami sa posisyon na ito dahil nakakaawa na ang taumbayan."

In an earlier newspaper report, Cam claimed to have been given a copy of the list, in which several names of lawmakers who were previously not implicated in the scam appeared.

Cam said she would like to check if the list in de Lima's hands has been sanitized of Aquino allies.

De Lima belittled Cam's claim, saying the latter had no authority and standing on the issue.

The justice chief had said she will ask Napoles' camp if, indeed, it gave out lists to other people, saying she is not aware of it.

She added she would not to bow down to pressure stemming from reports about Napoles' list being released by various quarters.

She believes this is part of the reason why "lists" are coming out, precisely to pressure her into releasing the names Napoles gave her.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Miriam: Cunanan passes credibility test

MANILA - Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago believes the testimony of Dennis Cunanan, director general on-leave of the Technology Resource Center (TRC), will help pin down the legislators linked to the pork barrel scam.

She believes, however, that Cunanan is not as innocent as he claims.

In a press conference after the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing on Thursday, Santiago told reporters that Cunanan's "testimony would be sufficient to convict in a court of law, but you [also] have to weigh it together with the testimony of Ruby Tuason, so that makes the two of them.”

In his testimony, Cunanan said senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, and Bong Revilla directly chose the non-government organizations where they would course their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocations.

Estrada and Revilla, Cunanan recalled, had reprimanded his office for supposedly delaying the release of the funds to the NGOs connected to businesswoman Janet Napoles.

Cunanan said the paperwork for PDAF-funded projects usually takes a maximum 30 days. Both senators, however, wanted to hasten the process so they pressed him to speed up the approvals.

In Enrile’s case, Cunanan said the former Senate president did not follow up the paperwork himself, and that the TRC dealt with Enrile's former chief of staff, Atty. Gigi Reyes.

Santiago said she believes Cunanan "is credible because he has knowledge of a lot of details. Credibility in a trial court is usually determined not by the general statement of the accused, particularly if this turns out to be vague, but from the specific details furnished by the accused or by any witness on the stand.”

She said Cunanan has “so many details that you would immediately, instinctively know he is telling the truth. He can’t possibly invent these transactional details because it will be very easy to prove him a liar just by interviewing people at the TRC. He was director general for about four years. You can grant him the presumption of regularity in the performance of his official functions.”

Cunanan dealt with the senators only via phone, however.

Santiago said there is lack of Philippine jurisprudence when it comes to phone calls as direct evidence. Nonetheless, these are already accepted in US courts, she said.

Innocent?

Santiago said she doubts Cunanan did not receive kickbacks from the pork barrel funds.

“I think you reached moral crossroads and said to yourself: I either join the kickback conspiracy or resign, but you did not do either one…Mahirap paniwalaan na di ka tumanggap, nakikita mong ginagawa na nila e,” she told Cunanan.

Cunanan claimed he was merely a co-signatory in the checks released to NGOs. He said there was a “legislative liaison officer” who was supposed to verify the authenticity of the NGOs chosen by the lawmakers.

He said he only took upon himself, even if it was not his job, to call and verify with the lawmakers’ offices.

Santiago explained: “He’s trying to prove that he is innocent. But in my former judge’s mind, it is entirely possible from experience in the courtroom that a witness might be false on some aspects of his testimony but might be credited with truth telling in the major aspects of his testimony. In other words, he’s telling not the whole truth. Let us say he’s telling ¾ truth, ¼ lie.”

This should not cancel his entire testimony, however, Santiago said.

“Many, many cases prove that a witness may still be considered as an eyewitness and can be the basis for a judgment even if in certain parts of his testimony, he appears to have told a lie…that’s human nature,” she said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

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

De Lima: Tuason's testimony clearly shows she's credible

MANILA - Ruby Tuason's failure to "recall" details about her alleged Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) transactions with Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and the camp of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile should all the more convince the public that that she is a credible witness, according to Justice Secretary Leila De Lima.

De Lima issued the statement amid Sen. Antonio Trillanes' dismay at Tuason's testimony before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Thursday.

The justice chief said Tuason's answers to the queries of senators clearly showed she was not forcing herself to come up with a story after having forgotten the details of her encounters with the camp of the two lawmakers charged for siphoning portions of their "pork barrel" to bogus non-government organizations (NGOs) put up by alleged "pork barrel" scam architect Janet Lim Napoles.

"I don't blame Senator Trillanes and I respect his reservations about the testimony of Mrs. Tuason. May mga punto naman talaga si Sen. Trillanes. Ang take ko dyan, you must understand, si Mrs. Tuason she admits na sya ang go-between, the agent, yung middle man, sya yung taga abot.

"Yun lang role niya eh, tagahatid ng kickback, nung share ng lawmakers involved so siyempre, ang interst lang niya siguro is just her share, yung referral fee so she didn't deem it proper or desirable na she would keep track or she would also record yung mga hinahatid nyang kickback. Yun kasi, para sa kanya nga, trabaho yun nina Janet Lim Napoles, yung mga staff nya, especially Benhur Luy kaya ganun hindi nya masabi yung detalye o hindi nya maalala yung exact amounts, yung exact dates. Yung year lang naaalala nya, 2008."

De Lima said Tuason's testimony is important in the plunder case against Estrada and Enrile because she has "direct knowledge" of the giving of kickbacks to the two senators because she "personally delivered" the kickbacks.

"So what I'm trying to say is that it's actually plausible na it's what makes her more credible, na hindi nya pinipilit mag-provide ng detalye na hindi naman nya kayang iprovide, di ba? Kasi nga hindi nya trabaho ung magbilang nung mga kickbacks na yan, hindi nya trabaho ung magrecord ng mga yan.

"Para sa kanya, tagahatid lang siya....at every time na naghahatid sya, meron din dyang komisyon so siguro yung binibilang niya yung sarili lang niyang komisyon."

De Lima said Tuason's testimony corroborated the testimony of Benhur Luy and the other whistleblowers regarding the scam.

The justice chief also pointed out that Tuason's answers before the Senate hearing only showed she is not being coached by the Department of Justice (DOJ) nor the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on what she has to say.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

No Napoles tell-all in Senate - Kapunan

MANILA - Businesswoman Janet Napoles will reveal what she knows about the misuse of the pork funds only at the right venue – which is not the Senate.

On Thursday, her lawyer Lorna Kapunan told dzMM, “At the appropriate time and appropriate venue, she will talk.”

She said the Senate is not the appropriate venue because of the agenda of some senators in using the hearings as a political platform.

Napoles has been subpoenaed to the November 7 hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee on the pork barrel scam.

What will happen at the Senate is a media spectacle where the public will be allowed to see who has the dirtiest linen, she said.

“[Any] confrontation is good for the media. It will not help us in getting closer to a conviction [of the guilty].”

Besides, the Senate will not even be able to give Napoles immunity from suit despite assurances from some senators.

“[An] immunity given by the Senate does not prevent criminal culpability because only a court of law such as the Sandiganbayan or Ombudsman [can provide such],” she said.

She said she and her team gave Napoles her legal options, including invoking the “right to remain silent” and the “right against self-incrimination”.

She said no one “can waive those rights except [Napoles].”

“She was the one who said she doesn’t want to go [to the Senate],” she said. And even with a subpoena, the Senate will have to ask the Makati judge to secure her, Kapunan added.

She said at the right time and place, Napoles will “confirm the belief of the people that the PDAF [Priority Development Assistance Fund] has been abused by public officials, even down to the mayors.”

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

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