General denial

With millions watching, Janet Lim-Napoles weathered a 6-hour cross-examination, and was able to put on record her denial of the testimonies of Benhur Luy and 4 other whistle-blowers.

Upon suggestion of Senator Miriam D. Santiago, Napoles was urged to tell the truth to avoid her being assassinated. Miriam encouraged her to raise her right against self-incrimination. All tried, but Miriam was unable to elicit any new information from her.

Observers, however, were surprised at how she was able to control her emotions. By 1 p.m., she asked the Senate to allow her to eat, as she was feeling faint being diabetic.

Three Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) lawyers were allowed by Napoles to assist her on a temporary basis. She claimed that she had a lawyer who was still in the United States.

At the end of the hearing, Chairman T.G. Guingona announced they were going to review the answers to decide whether she should be cited for contempt for lying. Guingona told media that the hearing was a success.

The committee will hold another hearing and will call Jimmy Napoles, Jenny’s husband, bank managers, and additional resource persons.

One significant fact was brought out by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano that despite Napoles’ denial, Napoles had signed letters to the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the use of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) for the purchase of fertilizers way back in 2006.

It was a good hearing with Benhur Luy, able to detail into the Senate records the specific amount of kickbacks to senators and congressmen.

The hearing started promptly at 10:05 a.m. and ended at 4 p.m.

Secretary Leila de Lima announced that as many as 15 congressmen will be included in the next batch to be charged by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) before the Ombudsman. No senator was mentioned.

NFA rice scam

After years of being talked about, the Department of Justice (DOJ) finally acted to investigate the National Food Authority (NFA) rice importation scam which goes into billions of pesos.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima directed National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) officer-in-charge Medardo de Lemos to form a special task force to investigate the NFA importations.

A previous Senate hearing had revealed that the NFA had granted importation permits to agricultural cooperatives controlled by one big rice trader.

Specifically, lawyer Argee Guevarra had written the DOJ. Guevarra claimed that the 205,700 metric tons of rice imported by the NFA in April were overpriced by P450 million.

The Arroyo administration had imported 2.3 million metric tons of rice during its incumbency causing NFA to register P90 billion in losses.

Rice importation by the NFA is approved by the NFA council headed by Secretary Proceso Alcala.

Smuggling of rice has also been going on through the ports of Manila, Cebu, Davao, Subic, Cagayan De Oro, and Legaspi.

Record number

The Philippines recorded 24 typhoons so far this year, more than the average 18-20 that enters the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) every year.

Typhoon signal No.4 was raised in at least 12 provinces, including Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Samar, and the Northern part of Cebu, Iloilo, Capiz, Antique, Aklan, Romblon, Masbate, and Mindoro.

The province of Bohol was also in the typhoon’s path adding to the woes of earthquake victims whose houses have been destroyed.

The government acted promptly this time and prepositioned more than P200 million worth of food packs in the Leyte, Samar areas and other provinces. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) released P53 million for additional assistance.

8 helicopters

            The Aquino administration has signed the contract for the purchase of 8 attack helicopters from Agusta Westland for P3.44 billion.

The 8 helicopters are due for delivery in 2014. Previously, 5 attack helicopters were ordered by the Philippine Navy.

We wonder if there is no priority for the purchase of a C-130 that is being used during disasters and calamities.

The AFP is having a hard time defeating the New People’s Army (NPA) which has been active in several provinces. Let us hope the choppers will help.

Pressure on Ombudsman

President Aquino has sent a very strong message to Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales and the Sandiganbayan to ensure that the 3 senators in the PDAF scam be prosecuted quickly and that they also must be quickly convicted.

This is certainly out of order as the Ombudsman and Sandiganbayan are independent offices and it is not right to pressure them to prosecute and “convict quickly.” Note that persons accussed with crime have the “presumption of innocence” and the President should not ask for a quick conviction.

Secretary Herminio Coloma said the President wants the case finished before his term ends in June 2016. The trial of President Joseph Estrada for plunder took 6 years to finish.

With so many defendants, 37 in the first batch and a bigger batch to be charged next week, it is reasonable to expect that the trial this time will take at least 5 years.

TIDBITS: Ten senators attended the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing - T.G. Guingona, Franklin Drilon, Alan Peter Cayetano, Bam Aquino, J.V. Ejercito, Nancy Binay, Sonny Angara, Antonio Trillanes, Cynthia Villar, and Grace Poe. Most of the senators were on vacation abroad.

Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza, in a 41-page memorandum submitted to the Supreme Court, asked for the dismissal of 9 petitions filed to declare the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) illegal and unconstitutional.

Department of Health (DOH) should explain why 27 children died in the evacuation center in Loon, Bohol.

Tourists were stranded in Boracay due to typhoon Yolanda.

A drunk PNP Special Action Force member, PO1 Joseph Kimayong Jr. shot dead a security guard and a taxi driver in Quezon City.

A teenage girl was killed while six others were wounded when motorcycle-riding gunmen crashed a birthday party and opened fire in North Bay, Navotas.