Enrile pork barrel did not reach recipients, town officials tell court
MANILA, Philippines–Local government officials told the Sandiganbayan on Friday that they did not receive the agricultural and livelihood kits promised to them by the foundations linked to accused pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.
During Napoles’ bail hearing from plunder in connection with the scam, three mayors and three agriculturists from Pangasinan and Bulacan provinces said they did not receive the supposed proceeds intended for marginal sectors in their municipalities.
Appearing before the court are former Rosales Mayor Ricardo Revita, incumbent Umingan Mayor Eldred Tumbokon and his agriculturist Francisco Collado, all from Pangasinan; incumbent Sta. Maria Mayor Bartolome Ramos and his agriculturist Imelda Eugenio, and San Miguel agriculturist Rodolfo Mendoza, all from Bulacan.
Their statements affirmed the prosecution’s claim that nongovernment organizations linked to Napoles received lawmakers’ public funds only to be spent to ghost deliveries for kickbacks.
The local officials said they did not receive the proceeds from the P5-million Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) supposedly allotted to each municipality by Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, who is under hospital arrest for plunder.
They also said they had no participation in the alleged scam of channeling pork barrel funds to ghost projects.
Article continues after this advertisementThe alleged beneficiaries are “not aware that their municipality was chosen or was made to appear as one of the recipients for the livelihood projects of marginal farmers amounting to P5 million more or less funded by the PDAF of Senator Enrile or from any implementing agency,” the prosecution said in its proposed stipulations on direct examination.
Article continues after this advertisementIt also said that the beneficiaries “will testify that he or she did not sign or prepare acknowledgement receipts and other documents.”
The beneficiaries submitted sworn statements before the court.
The defense no longer conducted their cross examination because according to the panel, the witnesses’ testimonies do not contradict their claim that Napoles did not control the supposed foundations.
Napoles’ lawyer Stephen David urged the prosecution to present more relevant witnesses to the case to expedite the proceedings.
“They should present their best evidence and not these that will just prolong the proceedings… These are not relevant witnesses in so far as the deliveries are concerned,” David said.
Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang slammed David for posing interjections when the court had already ruled to allow the witnesses to submit their testimonies.
Associate Justice Alex Quiroz even told David, “the more you talk, the more you prolong the proceedings.”
Napoles was present in the hearing but she refused interviews. She is detained at the Camp Bagong Diwa female dormitory for allegedly masterminding the scam.
The investigation into the scam also resulted in the detention of Senators Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr.
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