Budget Secretary Florencio Abad. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� President听Benigno听Aquino III on Tuesday defended Cabinet members named in Janet Lim-Napoles听extended affidavit, insinuating that the multiple copies of the list are meant to delay the investigation.
鈥淏ukas听tayo听sa听posibilidad听na听ang听ginagawa听lang听niya听(Napoles) ay听guluhin听ang听storya.听Habang听dumadami听nang听dumadami听ang听iimbestigan听natin,听siguro听kaka-imbestiga听time鈥檚 up听na听tayo,鈥� Aquino said in an interview broadcasted over the radio.
(We are open to the possibility that she just wants to muddle the story. While the number of people that we should investigate increases, our term has probably ended by the time we have completed the investigation.)
Asked if he believed accusations that his appointed officials are involved in the misuse of public funds, Aquino said, 鈥淚 need to see the evidence.鈥�
The President pointed out that Budget Secretary Florencio 鈥淏utch鈥� Abad, among those dragged into the pork barrel controversy, was the one spearheading reforms to have greater transparency in government.
He also lauded the efforts of Agriculture Secretary听Proceso听Alcala, who also denied involvement in the so-called scam.
鈥淒ati听parang听kinamumuhian听si听Mrs.听Napoles.听Ngayon听鈥榩ag听nagsasalita听siya听parang听totoong-totoo听ang听sinasabi.听Paano听kaya听nangyari听iyon?鈥� Aquino said.
(In the past, Mrs.听Napoles听was abhorred. Now when she speaks it鈥檚 as if people think she is telling the truth. How did that happen?)
Aquino鈥檚 statement came a day after听Napoles鈥� camp submitted to the Department of Justice a copy of her expanded affidavit and the list of lawmakers and government officials allegedly involved in the misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).
The President gave the interview at Naval Station听Carlito听Cunanan in Puerto听Princesa听City, Palawan after the celebration of the Philippine Navy鈥檚 116th听anniversary.
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