MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang yesterday released more photos of President Benigno Aquino III, this time with Janet Lim-Napoles herself and some members of her family taken in a public event in Cebu last year.
The Palace released the photos after a picture of Aquino with Napoles’ daughter Jeanne circulated over the internet.
Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ricky Carandang, however, denied that Aquino personally knows the Napoleses.
“We’re not hiding anything,†Carandang said. “He doesn’t know them personally.â€
Earlier this week, Aquino himself said he does not recall meeting the elder Napoles before the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam was revealed to the public.
Carandang said being seen in a photo with members of the Napoles family does not mean that the President is guilty of any wrongdoing.
He added that it would be difficult to disallow photo opportunities with the President during public events.
“Mahirap gawin ‘yon. That’s not just limited to the President. When you go to a public event, ‘pag ‘di ka nagpa-picture, magagalit sila. A picture with someone does not mean that they’re guilty,†he said.
The elder Napoles is the alleged mastermind of the P10-billion pork barrel scam, where a lawmakers’ pork barrel were channeled to bogus non-government organizations set up by Napoles.
Several lawmakers from both houses of Congress have been tagged in the controversy.
Photos of Senators Frank Drilon, Bong Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada have also been circulating on the Internet. — Philippine Star News Service