Senate President Franklin Drilon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA,聽 Philippines鈥擠etained Janet Lim-Napoles may reject the legal services of the Public Attorney鈥檚 Office 聽(PAO) but with or聽 without lawyers, she must appear聽 in the Senate聽 on Thursday to testify on the alleged P10 billion 鈥減ork barrel鈥� scam, Senate聽 President聽 Franklin Drilon聽 said.
Under the rules of聽 procedure, Drilon聽 said聽 an accused聽 has聽 the right 聽to choose her聽 own聽 lawyers.
So while Napoles may reject聽 the legal assistance聽 that PAO will provide, she could not use聽 it as an聽 excuse聽 not to appear聽 and testify聽 in the聽 Senate hearing, the Senate leader said.
鈥淭ama. Pwede niyang tanggihan ang PAO lawyers. Pero hindi pwedeng hindi siya pumunta (That鈥檚 correct. She聽 may reject聽 the PAO lawyers. But聽 she聽 should be there)鈥澛� he told reporters on Wednesday.
Asked聽 if聽 Napoles聽 could still be questioned in the Senate聽 even if she appears without聽 a counsel, Drilon said: 鈥淧wedeng tanungin sya pero pwede rin niyang sabihin na hindi ko po masagot dahil wala akong abogado (She can聽 be questioned but she can also say that聽 she can鈥檛 answer because she has no lawyer).
Asked聽 again聽 if the Senate聽 would give Napoles time to聽 find her own lawyers,聽 the Senate leader said the聽 Senate blue ribbon committee would have to discuss the matter first.
Napoles, the alleged mastermind of the scam, was聽 expected to appear聽 before the committee聽 when it resumes its session at 10 a.m. on Thursday.
It would be聽 the first聽 time that Napoles, who has been detained for serious illegal detention of her cousin and whistle-blower聽 Benhur Luy, would appear and testify聽聽 on the聽 鈥減ork barrel鈥� scam.
Aside from Napoles, Luy and other whistle-blowers in the scam were also聽 invited to appear聽 in the hearing.
RELATED STORIES
PAO: We are compelled by law to represent Napoles
Senate turns down Napoles postponement plea