Call back Napoles, Luy

Including Senators JV Ejercito and Cynthia Villar when they were still congressmen, there are 25 senators in Benhur Luy’s record who dealt with Janet Lim-Napoles.

Fifteen incumbent senators, including Lito Lapid, Chiz Escudero, Alan Peter Cayetano, and Miriam Defensor-Santiago were in Luy’s records to have dealt with Napoles.

It can be rightly assumed that when Benhur turned state witness, he turned over all his records to Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Leila de Lima and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). This supports the charge of Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, and Ramon Revilla Jr. that they have been singled out as political opponents when only their names were included in the first batch of 38 persons charged before the Ombudsman.

It is clear that De Lima and the NBI made no effort to investigate the 12 other incumbent senators. None of them was again included in the second batch of persons charged before the Ombudsman.

Batch 3 is still pending — the list to be submitted by DOJ/NBI team. It is not too late to include the 22 other incumbent and former senators since Benhur’s and Napoles’ testimonies are sufficient basis to charge them.

In a TV interview over ‘Bandila’ of ABS-CBN, Former Senator Ping Lacson named Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Butch Abad and Senators Chiz Escudero, Alan Peter Cayetano, and Miriam Defensor-Santigao as included in his list of 21 incumbent and former senators. His list, which he has submitted to Senator T.G. Guingona also includes 90 incumbent and former congressmen.

President Aquino admitted in a Myanmar press conference that he has seen the two versions of the so-called Napoles list. Why has he not taken any action against the 3 Cabinet members: Butch Abad, Proceso Alcala, and Joel Villanueva? Why he has not volunteered to release at least the list submitted by Secretary De Lima?

After the 5-hour interview at the Ospital ng Makati, De Lima named only Enrile, Jinggoy, and Revilla as named by Janet Napoles. Why did she not mention the other senators in Napoles list?

On the same occasion, De Lima said that Napoles has signed her statement. There is a good reason for the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to summon Napoles to confirm her list submitted to De Lima and also Benhur to confirm what was in his records.

Senator Serge Osmeña said that Napoles should be called back to testify in order to validate the list of lawmakers she submitted to Secretary De Lima.

Osmeña said the Napoles list should carry the most weight because of the assumption that she has personal knowledge of all the transactions she recorded in the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam.

Osmeña also stated the Lacson list should be compared with the Napoles list submitted by De Lima. But Lacson had already admitted that Jimmy Napoles said the list he submitted to him was incomplete. 

Navotas Representative Toby Tiangco questioned President Aquino’s inaction. “If P-Noy claims that he received a list, why did he tell us only now? Why did he not relieve the Cabinet members involved? I can smell an attempt to cover-up,” Tiangco said.

Pampanga kidnappings

Delia Munoz, a vegetable dealer, was kidnapped at the Angeles City market. She has been released after paying P10-million ransom.

Dr. Fred Punzalan, a pediatrician, was kidnapped at Mabalacat City. He was released after paying a P50,000-ransom.

Antonio Tolentino, a village chief in Porac, was arrested for the kidnapping of a retired soldier of the Philippine Marines, Larry Sabado.

Apolinario Padilla, a former barangay chairman, and his son Apolinario Jr., 29, were shot dead in front of their house in Calaca, Batangas.

Rezly Butiong Chua, cousin of Agusan del Sur Vice Mayor Julie Chua, shot dead Senior Inspector Abraham Udang Mangelen and his driver Jose Timbal.

Engr. Virgilio Aleria, head of the maintenance section of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Northern Samar 1st Engineering District, was shot dead while playing basketball at the University of Eastern Philippine Gym (UEPG) at Catarman, Northern Samar.

The Quezon City Police arrested 6 men for the shooting spree at Fairview where 7 people were killed.  Police identified Alsaid Mindalano as the driver of the getaway motorcycle.

Sulpicio Roco was shot dead in front of his wife in Payatas, Quezon City.

A Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) jail guard was shot dead in Laoag City.

Diabetes patients increasing

Diabetes is the most rapidly growing chronic disease of our time, with 380 million worldwide affected by it. In the Philippines, 9.7% of the adult population are diabetic.

You can know whether you have diabetes by a simple blood test of your blood sugar.

The disease can be controlled by a diet of no sugar or fats, daily exercise and taking medications usually glucopage and diamicron. Rice or carbohydrates should be limited to one cup per meal.

Tidbits: National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Senior Deputy Administrator Felix Razo has resigned. There is word that NIA head Claro Maranan is not resigning.

Some 353 private colleges and universities have filed petitions for a tuition increase and other fees this coming school year. Many dropouts are expected.

Five universities in the Philippines made it to the 2014 Asia’s Top 300 universities issued by a London-based education and career network: University of the Philippines (UP), 63rd; Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), 115th; University of Santo Tomas (UST), 141st; De La Salle University (DLSU), 151-160 grouping; and Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU), 251-300 bracket.

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago claimed that former Senator Ping Lacson is gay. He denied it. In response, Lacson said Miriam is insane.

Senator Chiz Escudero asked the DOJ to investigate Jimmy Napoles. He is in the Benhur Luy’s files.

Senator Koko Pimentel filed a graft case against the 4 Department of Agriculture (DA) officials.