‘Napoles’ name not in COA report on pork barrel scam’

By ELIZABETH MARCELO, GMA News

Published August 29, 2014 1:42pm

The names of alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles and her nephew Ronald John Lim didn't appear in any of the documents the Commission on Audit used in its special audit of the Priority Development Assistance Fund, a COA official told the Sandiganbayan on Friday.

COA Assistant Commissioner Susan Garcia admitted that Napoles and Lim's names were nowhere among the 14 folders of documentary evidence supporting the findings of the COA Special Audit Report on the PDAF allocations of lawmakers from 2007 to 2009.

The COA special audit report was among the primary pieces of evidence the Office of the Ombudsman in filing plunder and graft cases against, Napoles, Lim, Napoles’ driver and bodyguard John Raymond De Asis, Senators Juan Ponce-Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., their chiefs of staff and several officials of implementing agencies.

“Did the name of Janet Lim-Napoles appeared even once in these documents you have submitted in court...? How about the name of Ronald John Lim?” Napoles’ lawyer Lanee David asked Garcia during the cross examination.

Garcia answered both questions in the negative.

Garcia, meanwhile said that based on the cash voucher records that the COA auditors obtained, De Asis received 11 cash vouchers amounting to P117 million from implementing agencies where the PDAF allocations of Enrile were coursed through.

These NGOs were allegedly chosen by Enrile to allocated portions of his PDAF.

The implementing agencies identified by Garcia were National Agribusiness Corporation (NABCOR), Technology Research Center (TRC) and the National Livelihood Development Corporation (NLDC).

Garcia said that De Asis received the checks on behalf of the NGOs Masaganang Ani Para Sa Magsasaka Foundation (MAMFI), Countrywide Agri and Rural Economic Development Foundation (CARED), Social Development Program for Farmers Foundation Inc. (SDPFFI), and the People’s Organization for Progress and Development Foundation Inc. (POPDFI).

De Asis remains at large.

David, however, questioned Garcia if she has personal knowledge that it was De Asis who really accepted the checks.

“No ma’am, I have no personal knowledge if he was the one who accepted the checks,” Garcia said.

“But based on our confirmation with the implementing agencies, they said that they do not release check to person who do not present identification,” Garcia replied.

Garcia said they also asked the NGOs if De Asis received the checks in their behalf “but the NGOs neither confirmed nor denied the validity of the transactions.”

Upon further questioning, Garcia revealed that the names of pork barrel scam whistleblowers Benhur Luy, Marina Sula and Merlina Suñas also appeared in the 14 folders pertaining to the 14 alleged fake projects supposedly funded by Enrile’s PDAF.

“Yes their names appeared in the MOAs (memorandum of agreements) between the NGOs and the implementing agencies regarding the implementation of the projects,” Garcia said.

Garcia said that based on the documents of incorporation, Luy was the president of SDPFFI and the POPDFI, Sula was the president of MAMFI while Suñas was the president of CARED.

“The MOAs signify that they entered into contracts with the implementing agencies, that they purportedly received the projects from the implementing agencies and implemented the projects,” Garcia said.

Napoles’ other lawyer Stephen David earlier alleged that the whistleblowers were the ones who benefitted from the pork scam, as it was in their bank accounts where the money from the lawmakers’ PDAF were allegedly deposited.

The 14 folders include Special Allotment Release Orders (SAROs), Notice of Cash Allowances, cash vouchers, disbursement reports, accomplishment reports and acknowledgement receipts, certificate of acceptance of funds, checks and other official receipts issued by the NGOs. —NB, GMA News

Tags: bantaykaban, sandiganbayan