Samsam to DOJ: Probe ‘Napolist’
SHOCKED WITH INCLUSION IN LIST
Cebu first district Representative Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas Jr. yesterday urged the Department of Justice to get to the bottom of the allegation that he was involved in the misuse of Priority Development Assistance Fund allocations.
This was after his name was included in PDAF scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles’ supposed list of legislators involved in the siphoning off of billions in pesos of the fund, which the government has scrapped because of the controversy.
Gullas questioned why he was in the list when he became congressman only last year and the controversy broke out even before that.
The 29-year old Gullas, a firstterm member of the 16th congress, said he was shocked to see his name in the list, which is allegedly one of the many being peddled by unknown sources through the media.
“I strongly urge the Department of Justice to get to the bottom of this commotion over the multiple Napoles lists. Following a thorough and independent investigation, I am absolutely confident that I will be in the clear. My conscience is clear and my heart is clear,” Gullas told press conference at his district office at the University of the Visayas-Main Campus yesterday morning.
Along with Gullas, the list also includes Cebu City North District Rep. Raul del Mar and former congresswoman Clavel Asas Martinez.
Del Mar joined calls in last night’s plenary for DOJ to expedite the submission of the officials list, which shall be the basis for the filing of charges. This will serve to clear the confusion caused by the many unofficial lists being circulated by unknown sources. He also emphasized that the basis for including the name must also be stated to give the respondent the chance to immediately answer the charge. He reiterated that he has had no single PDAF transaction with Napoles in all his 21 years in Congress.
Gullas, the second youngest member of the House of Representatives, is the grandson of former congressman Eduardo Gullas, whom he replaced in 2013.
“I was not even a congressman yet between the time Janet Napoles and her gang of thieves was plundering public funds, until they were finally caught,” Gullas said.
He insisted that from day one of his term, he did not avail of any PDAF allotment after the Supreme Court had blocked its releases and the Aquino administration eventually scrapped the controversial fund.
“The inclusion of my name in one of the lists is outrageous, and makes no sense at all, and is downright inconceivable and impossible,” Gullas said.
“I can only surmise that whoever inserted my name in one of the Napoles lists is out to sow extreme hysteria and confusion – in an attempt to spoil the ongoing investigation into the PDAF scam, by dragging in blameless individuals like me,” he added.
He expressed confidence that “following a thorough and independent investigation, I am absolutely confident that I will be in the clear.”
Even Napoles’ camp is doubtful of the authenticity of the list that has come out in the media released by former senator Panfilo Lacson. Another list is said to come from whistleblower Benhur Luy.
Napoles’ lawyer Bruce Rivera, speaking to reporters in Makati City, said only one list exists– the one that Napoles gave to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.
“There are people who will want to create suspicion on our list,” he said. There is only one list. I don’t know of Benhur’s list. Why is it coming out only now? He is the whistleblower for the longest time. He should have released it before. “I don’t know where got that list. Where did he get it? To be honest, he was not there at the beginning so…where did he get it? Maybe he has a good psychic,” Rivera said.
He said some of those named in the lists that appeared in newspapers are not in his client’s list.
“I don’t want to create confusion, but there are people reported in the newspaper to be included but are not included,” he said.
“As early as now, the public should be careful not to believe what has been coming out.” Rivera said, as he assured that the list that Napoles has given to the Department of Justice will be made public soon.
“We do not want publicity. “We want that if we come out with the list, we could substantiate with evidence. We are responsible individuals. If we only want to destroy reputations, we would come out with a list and let the media prey on it. We do not do that. If the list comes out, it would be substantiated with proof,” he said.
Rivera cautioned De Lima against “sanitizing” the list from Napoles.
Even Luy is distancing himself from the list that is now made public, with his lawyer saying his client cannot vouch for the accuracy of any of the lists identifying lawmakers who allegedly dealt with Napoles.