Ombudsman now has Napoles鈥� affidavit, will decide on businesswoman鈥檚 request for immunity

By: Maila Ager - 11 years ago

Justice Secretary Leila De Lima. CATHY MIRANDA/黑料社

MANILA, Philippines鈥擳he Department of Justice has formally transmitted to the Office of the听Ombudsman the affidavits of alleged 鈥減ork barrel鈥� scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles听and the letters of her lawyers, expressing her desire to be considered a state witness.

Justice听Secretary Leila de Lima said she transmitted the documents to the Ombudsman Tuesday.

鈥淢ay I also take this opportunity to announce that yesterday, I formally transmitted to the Ombudsman (Conchita听Carpio-Morales) her own copies of the two affidavits of听Mrs听Napoles听with the accompanying letters of the counsels for immunity,鈥� de Lima told reporters before she faced her confirmation听hearing at the Senate on Wednesday.

鈥淜asi听nga听decision 鈥榶an听ng Ombudsman. While kami听po听we are continuing with the vetting and validation process because this is just part and parcel of our fact-finding and truth-seeking.鈥�

鈥淧ero听鈥榶ung听issue on the immunity, we will be deferring to the sound judgment and discretion of the Ombudsman so听sinubmit听ko听po听sa听kanya听kahapon听officially 鈥榶ung听mga听affidavits听ni听Mrs.听Napoles听saka听yung听mga听letters ng听kanyang听mga听abugado, expressing her desire to be considered as state witness,鈥� de Lima said.

She said she also reiterated听 to the Ombudsman that 鈥渨e will defer to her judgment on that matter.鈥�