MANILA: As advised by the Office of the Ombudsman, Senate President Franklin Drilon will not approve the order compelling Janet Lim Napoles to attend the Senate probe on the alleged pork barrel scam.
Drilon said he is deferring to the judgement of Ombusman Conchita Carpio-Morales, who said it is not advisable for Napoles to testify before the Blue Ribbon Committee due to the pending charges against the businesswoman and the government officials allegedly involved in the scam.
“Even as I recognise the Senate’s power to conduct inquiries in aid of legislation, I submit that it would not be advisable, at this time, for Ms Napoles to testify before the said Committee on ‘what [she] know[s]’ about the alleged scam,” Morales said in her letter to Drilon.
Morales added that the reason for summoning Napoles “would not produce at this stage complete, nay reliable information that legislation intends to affect or change.”
Drilon said they will follow Morales’ opinion since she is in the best position to determine if the prosecution of the case will be prejudiced by Napoles’ appearance in the Senate.
“I defer to the ruling of the Ombudsman. I am not about to debate at this point,” Drilon said.
On September 16, the National Bureau of Investigation filed plunder charges and other offenses against 38 individuals including Napoles, the alleged pork barrel scam mastermind.
She has been accused of pocketing lawmakers’ pork barrel that were coursed to bogus non-government organisations (NGOs) that she allegedly set up.
Senator Teofisto Guingona III, the chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee, issued on Monday the subpoena to compel Napoles to attend the hearing tomorrow. Guingona said it is important to the Senate investigation “as the Filipinos are looking for answers that may shed light to some issues at hand.”
In a related development, Drilon approved the request of Guingona to subpoena Justice Secretary Leila De Lima, Benhur Luy and other alleged scam whistleblowers who were absent during the Senate hearing yesterday.
“The Ombudsman has ruled that the appearance of Ms Napoles could prejudice the case in effect. There is no such finding in the case of the whistleblowers,” Drilon said.
Luy has filed serious illegal detention charges against Napoles, who is now detained in Fort Sto Domingo in Laguna.
On Monday, the Makati City Regional Trial Court entered a not guilty plea for Napoles after she refused to make any plea.
The Philippine star
