BY PRINCE GOLEZ
Manila Reporter
MANILA – There is no stopping the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee from compelling the Department of Justice to “surrender” the affidavit submitted to them by alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles.
In a hastily-called press conference yesterday, committee chair Teofisto “TG” Guingona III said they will issue a subpoena duces tecum for Napoles’ list of lawmakers who purportedly funneled their funds to her bogus nongovernmental organizations.
“It’s time that the list be brought out,” Guingona said.
As soon as they receive the list “within the week,” the Napoles list would be a public document, the senator also said.
“I don’t see any reason to put it in my drawer and hide it. We have to open it to the public,” he stressed.
The committee will also ask former senator Panfilo Lacson tp submit his own version of the list.
Earlier yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano asked Guingona’s committee to subpoena the Napoles list.
The move will “create and/or restore the climate of confidence in our institution,” said Cayetano.
He also wanted documents such as Special Allotment Release Orders, Notices of Cash Allocation, audit reports and supporting documents relevant to the “pork” investigation subpoenaed.
Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, for her part, asked the panel to receive the testimony of whistleblower Benhur Luy who claimed that some 200 government officials, media men, lawyers, showbiz personalities and private individuals were involved in the scam.
“I humbly submit that it is crucial for the sake of truth that Luy should testify on the Luy list to settle the conflicting claims of suspicious people like Janet Napoles, Panfilo Lacson and Sandra Cam…” the Ilongga senator said in her letter to Guingona./PN
