Manila: A Filipina businesswoman accused of siphoning billions in government funds through fake non-governmental organisations has identified three senators as masterminds of the scam, sources said.
Janet Lim Napoles is alleged to have connived with lawmakers to release their Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) to non-existent projects, through non-functioning non-governmental organisations, to line their own pockets.
The scheme, also known as the “pork barrel scam”, is estimated to have cost the government at least P10 billion (Dh833.3 million).
Napoles submitted a written testimony, after “we held talks from late Monday night to early morning of Tuesday — on the eve of her scheduled surgery at Hospital of Makati City,” Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said.
“I left the hospital at three in the morning. I went to see her before midnight because she said she wanted to reveal everything about the scam — before undergoing surgery. She pleaded to talk to me,” explained de Lima, who refused to reveal the contents of Napoles’ testimony.
“She is now willing to tell all about the multibillion fund embezzlement. But we still have to evaluate her statement,” said de Lima when asked if Napoles has been accepted as a state witness.
Sources said Napoles had named all the major players in the scam that allegedly defrauded the congressional PDAF.
They included Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla.
If accepted as a state witness, she would get immunity from being charged with the crime that she allegedly also participated in.
Earlier, Senator Mirriam Santiago urged Napoles to testify against Senator Enrile, whom the former alleged was the “real mastermind” of congressional funds abuse.
The three senators have been charged with plunder by the Office of the Ombudsman.
The justice secretary backed the calls for Napoles’ testimony after Jessica “Gigi” Reyes, former chief-of-staff of Senator Enrile, arrived last week, after eight months of hiding in the United States.
Whistleblowers have identified Reyes as the conduit between Sen. Enrile and Napoles in the perpetuation of the scam that allegedly favoured Enrile who received 50 per cent of his development fund released to fake projects.
In November 2013, Napoles denied that she was behind the misuse of development funds in Congress, when she appeared at the hearing of the scandal at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.
She claimed her wealth came from legitimate businesses, not from the alleged parliamentary funds swindle.
She was detained last year, for illegally detaining her employee — who eventually became a whistle-blower and identified Napoles as the pork barrel scam architect.
Napoles was placed under hospital arrest, when a court allowed her to undergo surgery.
Apart from the opposition senators, more than 20 other congressmen, including appointed officials, were also charged with plunder in the same matter.
Opposition senators and congressmen said all those involved in the alleged scam should be revealed, not only those in the opposition.
The scam has angered Filipinos who held protest rallies against corruption last year.
