Napoles will implicate anyone to get off the hook, warns Valte

MANILA, Philippines — The former deputy presidential spokesperson of President Benigno Aquino III raised concerns on the credibility of Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged brains behind the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam, noting that she is willing to tag anyone to evade punishment. 

 

Abigail Valte said the credibility of Napoles, who is now “provisionally” covered by the witness protection program of the Department of Justice, is questionable. 

 

“In the beginning, we already saw that she was willing to point a finger at anyone just to get herself off the hook. I don’t think that’s changed now,” she said in an interview on ANC’s “Early Edition” Thursday.

 

Valte said that Napoles offered to add names of any politician when she submitted to the Department of Justice the list of legislators—dubbed as “Napolist”—who were allegedly linked to the pork barrel scam. 

 

“Sinabi niya [kay then-DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima]: ‘Ma’am, sino bang gusto niyong ilagay namin sa listahan?’ And Secretary De Lima was very shocked because her reply was: ‘Wala kaming gustong ilagay. Gusto namin [malaman] kung sino talaga naka-transaksyon mo,’” she said. 

 

In a statement Wednesday, De Lima also said that Napoles is a “polluted source” and has “no credibility.”

 

“Now [DOJ Secretary] Aguirre wants the Sandiganbayan to bow to Malacañang’s wish and throw away all the evidence against Napoles and turn her over to the DOJ. They’re helping her attain freedom so they can use her for their own malevolent agenda,” De Lima said. 

 

Aguirre, in an interview on GMA News TV’s “State of the Nation with Jessica Soho” Wednesday, said that Napoles gave him “in strictest confidence” the names of new officials involved in the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam. 

 

He has not yet revealed who these officials are. 

 

Aguirre also alleged that his predecessor failed to release other names to “cover up” their involvement. 

 

Members of the opposition warned that Napoles might be used as a weapon to harass those who criticize the current administration.

 

READ: ‘Failure to uphold justice’: Solons slam move turning Napoles into state witness