NBI findings on ‘Napolist’ out soon – De Lima

MANILA, Philippines - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima expects the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to submit its findings and recommendations on the alleged involvement of nine incumbent and two former senators in the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam.

Speaking to reporters, De Lima yesterday said the NBI is verifying the special allotment release orders (SARO) on the projects of lawmakers and other officials implicated in the list that Janet Lim-Napoles had submitted last May.

“I hope to receive results on the senators in the next few days,” she said.

De Lima said the NBI is checking with implementing agencies identified in the SAROs to determine if the funds really went to their intended beneficiaries.

Only those in the list whose funds went to bogus NGOs would be charged before the Office of the Ombudsman, she added.

Napoles implicated nine incumbent senators: Ramon Revilla Jr., Jinggoy Estrada, Juan Ponce Enrile, Vicente Sotto III, Loren Legarda, Aquilino Pimentel III, Alan Peter Cayetano, Gringo Honasan and Francis Escudero.

Former senator Manny Villar and the late former senator Robert Barbers were also in the list.

So were Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority director-general Joel Villanueva.

The list also included the names of 69 incumbent and former members of the House of Representatives, as well as alleged conduits for implementing agencies like the Department of Agriculture and Department of Agrarian Reform, National Livelihood Development Corp., Technology Resource Center and National Agribusiness Corp.