Witness: Imee Marcos among Napoles visitors at JLN offices

A witness in the multi-billion peso pork barrel fund scam on Friday testified that several personalities including Ilocos Norte governor Imee Marcos used to visit Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged brains of the scam, at her office in Ortigas Center.

 

At the continuation of her cross examination before the Sandiganbayan Third Division, prosecution witness Mary Arlene Baltazar, a former book-keeper of Napoles' company JLN Corporation, said she personally saw Marcos visiting Napoles at one time at the JLN Corp. office at the 25th floor of Discovery Suites in Ortigas, Mandaluyong.

 

"Nag drop-by lang po siya kahit walang okasyon. Dumaan po kay Madam (Janet Napoles)," Baltazar told the court.

 

Baltazar, however, was quick to add that she was not privy to what Marcos and Napoles talked about during the visit.

GMA News Online is still trying to get Marcos' comment as of posting time. 

 

Aside from Marcos, Baltazar said she also personally saw a certain Congressman Plaza and a certain Congressman Estrella visiting the JLN Corporation office sometime in 2010 or 2011 to attend JLN Corporation’s anniversary party.

 

It was not clear who were Congressmen Plaza and Estrella that Baltazar was referring to as she refused to grant an interview after the hearing.

 

However, the Office of the Ombudsman recently found probable cause to file several counts of malversation and direct bribery charges against former Agusan Del Sur Rep. Rodolfo “Ompong” Plaza for allocating P27.5 million of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel allocations for 2008 and 2009 to Napoles' non-government organizations (NGOs).

 

Aside from Plaza, also recently indicted by the Office of the Ombudsman for their alleged involvement in the PDAF scam were Masbate Rep. and current Masbate Governor Rizalina Seachon-Lanete, former Benguet Rep. Samuel Dangwa and former Cagayan De Oro City Rep. Constantino Jaraula. 
 

Meanwhile, the cases against former Pangasinan Rep. Conrad Estrella III and more than 20 other lawmakers allegedly involved in the pork scam are still pending before the Office of Ombudsman.

 

During the hearing Baltazar said she also saw Sen. Jinggoy Estrada going to the JLN Corp. office in an ordinary day.

 

“Wala din pong occasion sa JLN (Corporation) nun. Pero meron po yatang party sa 42nd floor at dinala po siya ni Madam doon,” Baltazar said.

 

“Nag-greet lang po ako sa kanya  ng good afternoon. Hindi ko po alam ang pakay niya dun,” Baltazar added.

 

Estrada, had earlier admitted going to some parties organized by Napoles but maintained that he had never endorsed his PDAF to the fake NGOs allegedly owned by the businesswoman.

 

Estrada is currently detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame for plunder and graft charges in connection with his alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam.

 

Napoles, meanwhile, is detained at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Female Dormitory in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig.

 

Baltazar said even whistleblower  Ruby Tuason, who allegedly served as a go-between of Napoles and Estrada also used to frequent the JLN Corp. office.  

 

On the other hand, Baltazar admitted that she had never seen Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile nor his former chief of staff Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes at the JLN Corporation office or talking to Napoles at any instance.

 

Enrile and Reyes are both facing plunder and graft charges at the Sandiganbayan Third Division in connection with the pork scam.

 

Upon further questioning by Napoles’ lawyer Lanee David, Baltazar also admitted not seeing Ronald John Lim and John Raymund De Asis talking with Enrile nor Reyes.

 

Lim and De Asis, nephew and bodyguard of Napoles, respectively, are also facing plunder and graft charges at the Third Division also in connection with the pork scam. The two, however, remain at large.

 

Aside from the lawmakers and political personalities, Baltazar also identified former Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) director Teresita Panlilio and a certain DAR official identified only as Malou, as among officials of implementing agencies who used to frequent the JLN Corp. office.

 

She, however, said that she has not been given a chance to talk to any of these lawmakers and government officials that she identified.

 

“Ano ang binibigay ninyo sa mga bumibisita sa JLN office, calendar?,” Third Division member Associate Justice Samuel Martires asked Baltazar in jest.

 

To which, Baltazar replied: “Ay hindi po kami nagbibigay ng calendar, ang usually binibigay po namin sakanila ay one box of cherries.” —NB, GMA News