Whistle-blower tags ‘Napoles Jr.’ in PDAF scam

MANILA, Philippines - There is a Janet Lim Napoles Jr.

In her testimony during the bail hearing of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada for plunder at the Sandiganbayan, prosecution witness Mary Anne Baltazar, a former bookkeeper of JLN Corp., said Evelyn de Leon is known to fellow employees as Janet Napoles Jr.

“She introduces herself as Napoles to implementing agencies. She misrepresents herself as JLN and she was known as such,” Baltazar said.

De Leon is the head of Philippine Social Development Foundation Inc., a non-government organization linked to Napoles. She is also facing graft charges over the pork barrel scam.

 Lawyer Stephen David, however, said Baltazar is inventing things. He said it was the first time he heard of the so-called Janet Napoles Jr.

Estrada again expressed disappointment over the slow pace of the bail hearings.

“It’s almost like a trial proper. This is only for purposes of bail… bail is a matter of right,” he said, adding that witnesses seem to have run out after the testimony of Baltazar. “That’s a clear case of delaying tactic.”

He again challenged the prosecution to present Ruby Tuason, former social secretary of former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, who has turned state witness.

As this developed, Estrada, who was recently diagnosed with mild cervical spondylosis, has asked the Sandiganbayan to allow him to undergo therapy sessions at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center at least twice weekly.

In a manifestation filed before the anti-graft court’s Fifth Division yesterday, Estrada’s lawyers said Estrada should undergo treatment for his ailment, which is causing him shoulder pains.

Estrada’s ailment, also known as arthritis of the neck, was discovered after the lawmaker underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and other tests last month.

His lawyers said the accused, who is facing trial for plunder for alleged involvement in the pork barrel fund scam and is detained at the Philippine National Police custodial center in Camp Crame, needs access to specific equipment for the therapy sessions.

Tyrone Reyes said Estrada would need a hydrocollator, an ultrasound machine, equipment for transcutaneous nerve stimulations and equipment for cervical traction up to 40 pounds.

Defense counsel led by lawyer Jose Flaminiano said a therapy program is needed because the MRI procedure revealed that his client has mild bulging on the cervical spine and adhesive capsulitis.

Quoting Estrada’s doctor, his lawyers said the therapy program should be done in “a sufficiently equipped physical therapy department.”

Meanwhile, 20 policemen escorted Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla to a hospital yesterday for an overnight checkup. The senator has been complaining of migraine, cold and cough for one week now.

On orders of the Sandiganbayan, Revilla was brought to the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City, where he is expected to stay until noon today.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor said Revilla left Camp Crame in an ambulance at around 4 p.m.  The convoy included a backup from the Highway Patrol Group and Southern Police District.

Revilla will undergo magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance angiogram of the brain, plain lumbosacral MRI, cardiac workup, electrocardiography and 2D-Echo, stress test and blood chemistry.

Revilla’s assets

In another petition, Revilla  asked the Sandiganbayan yesterday to junk the motion of the prosecution seeking the garnishment of his assets amounting to P224.5 million.

In an opposition filed before the anti-graft court’s First Division, Revilla said the prosecution has failed to present evidence that he received kickbacks or commissions from alleged pork barrel fund scam operator Janet Lim-Napoles.

“To grant the application for writ of garnishment based on the dearth of evidence presented during the bail hearings would be doubly unfair and unjust,” the senator, through his defense counsel led by Joel Bodegon, said.

He said even the testimony of whistle-blower Benhur Luy does not prove the accusations against him.

Bodegon said that even though Revilla’s name appears in Luy’s ledger, Luy admitted that he did not meet or speak to the senator.

“Luy’s ‘personal knowledge’ of the alleged scam only extends to the purported involvement of lawyer Richard Cambe… there is no credible evidence that links Senator Revilla with Cambe. There is no proof that Cambe gave the kickbacks to Senator Revilla, assuming that Cambe indeed received any,” his defense counsels added.

Revilla’s camp said the content of Luy’s external hard drive could not be considered evidence because the prosecution failed to authenticate the electronic files.

The pieces of evidence so far presented do not constitute a prima facie case or strong evidence against the accused, it added.

Revilla’s lawyers said garnishment of the senator’s properties at this time would constitute undue pre-judgment to the bail application since the defense is yet to present its counterevidence and witnesses.

Ombudsman prosecutors earlier filed a motion seeking the issuance of a writ of preliminary attachment against Revilla’s assets that would work like a freeze order.

Napoles children

The children of Napoles are scheduled to appear before the Sandiganbayan tomorrow for their arraignment on graft charges.

Jo Christine and James Christopher, accused of involvement in the misuse of the priority development assistance fund of senators and congressmen, will face the anti-graft court’s Third Division at 1:30 p.m.

The Sandiganbayan had junked their motion for reconsideration of an earlier decision that found sufficient basis for them to face trial for graft.

Magistrates headed by Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang said Jo Christine and Christopher’s arguments that the charges against them should be dropped because the allegations are from whistle-blowers who admitted participation in the pork barrel fund scam and so are “devoid of merit.” – With Cecille Suerte Felipe