BY PRINCE GOLEZ
Manila Reporter
MANILA – “It’s too late. Is this our utang na loob to her?”
Sen. Bam Aquino said the money plundered from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) may still be recovered by the government even if businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles won’t return them.
Stephen David, legal counsel of Napoles, said his client is willing to return the P2 billion she earned from her multi-billion pork barrel transactions with several legislators.
“Napoles may be remorseful but it’s too late,” Aquino said yesterday.
Many sectors were not able to pursue important projects because of what the alleged pork barrel scam queen did, according to the neophyte lawmaker.
On the other hand, Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano suggested that Napoles return the “full amount” of kickbacks with “computation.”
Should Napoles return the money, it should be used for the construction of classrooms and purchase of notebooks for schoolchildren, said Cayetano.
The Senate leader lamented why the businesswoman did not include the kickbacks she received, as well as her properties in her sworn affidavit.
“Talagang inu-unti-unti nila yung pag-o-offer sa gobyerno… Paano naging P2 billion? Dapat isasauli ang buo,” Cayetano stressed.
Malacañang said only the Ombudsman can decide as to the willingness of Napoles to return the “pork” money.
“It is only the Office of the Ombudsman that is clothed with the authority to recommend to the Sandiganbayan any action on (the) matter, and we respect the independence of the Office of the Ombudsman,” said Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma Jr./PN