Submitted to Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chair Teofisto Guingona the Draft Affidavit of Janet Lim Napoles anD lists of Senators, congressman and other personalities that she allegedly dealt with in connection with pdaf.
(Photo: Ken Christian Reotan)
Two Cebu congressmen whose names appear in the purported pork barrel scam list that was released by Presidential Assistant Panfilo Lacson denied they have anything to do with the scam.
“It’s impossible for my name to be on that list,” said Rep. Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas of Cebu province’s 1st district.
He was elected to the post in 2013 succeeding his grandfather, Eduardo.
“As a first termer and a pure neophyte in the 16th Congress, I have never had a PDAF. By the time I was elected in 2013, there was no more PDAF,” he said.
The allocation of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or “pork barrel” was discontinued beginning in the 2014 national budget.
Cebu City north district Rep. Raul Del Mar also denied dealing with suspected pork barrel scam mastermind, Janet Lim Napoles.
“In all my 21 years in Congress, I never had a single PDAF transaction with Napoles,” said Del Mar.
“I’m surprised why my name is in that rumored list when I was never included in the many lists circulated in the past.”
“Anyway, let’s just wait for the official Department of Justice list which shall be the basis for the filing of appropriate charges. Definitely my name will not be there because I had been very careful in the proper use of my PDAF for transparent projects benefitting my constituents.”
Lacson’s list included Clavel Martinez, who represented Cebu’s 4th district from 1998 to 2007.
Martinez was not immediately available for comment.
Gerald Gullas replaced his grandfather Eduardo Gullas, a veteran politician who made an unsuccessful run for the mayoralty of Talisay City.
Raul on the other hand replaced his daughter Rachel “Cutie” Del Mar. The elder Del Mar served the House of Representatives in 1987 to 1988, 2001 to 2010 and from 2013 to present.
The elder Gullas and four other Cebu lawmakers were listed in a Commission on Audit report from 2007 to 2009 as having dealt with Napoles-affiliated non-government organizations.
Among those listed were: Antonio Cuenco, Eduardo Gullas, Antonio Yapha Jr., Pablo John Garcia and Red Durano.
However, they were not in Lacson’s list.
Lacson on Tuesday released the names of legislators and other personalities linked to the pork barrel scam, based on unsigned documents given to him by the family of Napoles.
Lacson started spilling the beans in an interview on ABS-CBN’s late-night news program, Bandila Monday.
He was to say just yes or no if a certain government official was in the list.
Lacson answered in the affirmative when asked if Senators Francis Escudero, Alan Peter Cayetano, Gregorio Honasan and Miriam Santiago were in the list. Ditto with Budget Secretary Florencio Abad. Senators Franklin Drilon and Teofisto Guingona III were not in the document, said Lacson, who clarified that he based his responses on both the lists coming from Napoles and whistleblower Benhuy Luy.
Ping vs Miriam
“Anyone can make lists. I was told that there is a list entitled ‘Closeted gays or bisexuals in public service.’ I was given names, and I was requested to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on whether the person was truly in the list. When the name Pinky Lacson was called, I said ‘yes,’” Santiago said, apparently questioning Lacson’s sexual preference.
Lacson returned in kind: “A high school classmate who is now a psychiatrist once advised me never to react to an insane person. It could be infectious.”
Santiago maintained she had “never had dealings” with Napoles, the alleged key operator of the P10-billion pork barrel scam.
The senator instead preferred to secure the list prepared by Benhur Luy, the main whistleblower in the multibillion-peso racket. “I understand that the Luy list is substantiated by documents and details,” she said.
Lacson submitted on Tuesday the Napoles documents to the Senate blue ribbon committee, which then released copies to media.
Attached to the 40-page compilation, which included Napoles’ draft affidavit, was a list of 11 former or incumbent senators and 69 members of the House of Representatives, who also included former congressmen.
Santiago was not in the list Lacson submitted to the Senate. It named only Senators Ramon Revilla Jr., Jinggoy Estrada, Juan Ponce Enrile, Vicente Sotto, Loren Legarda, Aquino “Koko” Pimentel III, Manny Villar, Cayetano, Honasan, Escudero and the late Robert Barbers.
Among the 69 former or incumbent House members were close allies of President Aquino, namely Secretary Abad and Joel Villanueva, director general of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
Other Aquino allies in the list were Representatives Isidro Ungab and Reynaldo Umali, and Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala.