Associate Justice Marvic Leonen. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines鈥揟he Sandiganbayan Fifth Division had a light moment Monday when whistleblower Merlina Su帽as said one of their ghost beneficiaries in the pork barrel scam is Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen.
During the bail hearing of detained senator Jinggoy Estrada, Su帽as said accused mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles rounded up her employees, security guards, and house maids to come up with names in their list of fake聽beneficiaries for ghost projects.
Apparently, one of the househelpers came up with the idea to use the list of bar exam passers published in the newspaper.
鈥淚t so happened lumabas ang bar exams during that time. Dun kami kumuha ng pangalan. 2007 or 2008 po yun,鈥� Su帽as told the court.
(It so happened that the result of the bar exams was released at that time. That鈥檚 where we got names. That was 2007 or 2008.)
This caused the whole court, including the Associate Justices, to laugh at Su帽as鈥� revelation.
鈥淪o you used names of bar passers for the list of beneficiaries. Whoever thought of that?鈥� an incredulous Associate Justice Alex Gesmundo asked.
鈥淜asambahay po ni Napoles (One of the househelpers of Napoles),鈥� Su帽as answered.
The court laughed even more when Su帽as said that even Justice Leonen made it to the list of fake beneficiaries for agricultural and livelihood projects.
鈥淣akasama po pangalan ng sa Supreme Court, si Marvic Leonen. I don鈥檛 know saan galing ang pangalan,鈥� Su帽as said of the former government chief negotiator for the peace talks with the聽 Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Su帽as is the all-around assistant of Napoles testifying against Estrada who is detained for plunder for conspiring with Napoles in pillaging his Priority Development Assistance Funds.