DOJ to probe P407-M DOTC scam linked to Napoles

The Department of Justice DOJ will look into the reported scam involving a P407-million project of the Department of Transportation and Communications DOTC in 00 being linked to suspected pork barrel scam operator Janet im-Napoles.

Justice Secretary eila de ima said government investigators would ask Napoles about this new controversy as part of her tell-all affidavit in the pork barrel scam.

“That new information will be part of our validation process,” De ima said in an interview at the sidelines of the launch of the electronic subpoena system for criminal cases at the Philippine National Police headquarters in uezon City yesterday.

De ima said the National ureau of Investigation would also check this report with the whistle-blowers led by enhur uy.

De ima said Napoles made no mention of the supposedly anomalous DOTC project during their meeting last week.

Napoles had offered to tell all she knows about the scam involving the Priority Development Assistance Fund PDAF of lawmakers.

“What we have is the supposed PDAF list. ut that one about DOTC, I don t know about that. The presumption of the N I is that these transactions in the list are PDAF-related, unless she would clarify that not everything there is PDAF,” De ima said.

She said the investigators would clarify this issue with Napoles.

De ima was referring to reports regarding the supposed approval by two DOTC officials of the P407million supply contract with Napoles trading firm for the purchase of computers and mobile communication equipment that turned out to be “ghost” deliveries.

De ima confirmed N I agents again visited Napoles in hospital last Monday for clarificatory questioning. Napoles is recovering from surgery at the Ospital ng Makati.

Inasmuch as probers want to complete the affidavit of Napoles, De ima said they have to take into account her health and physical condition.

“She can t talk for two straight hours. The doctors said the operation really affected her speech, that s why we re thinking of some other ways of getting her complete statement that could limit the questioning,” De ima said.

One of the options, she said, is to just let Napoles complete her testimony in writing.

“We can just allow her to provide us the complete affidavit subject to our vetting since it s based anyway on her personal knowledge anyway. This way, there will also be less suspicion that we are dictating or influencing her in telling her story,” she added.

Wait for assessment

There have been calls for De ima to make public the list of personalities involved in the pork barrel scam provided by Napoles in her tell-all affidavit.

Malaca ang, however, believes there is no need to sensationalize the list.

“It will all depend on the assessment of Secretary De ima. ut let me just say that the battle against graft and corruption is not won by sensationalism. It is waged by an evidence-based investigation, coupled with an independent ombudsman, who will review the case to be filed and prosecuting it before the Sandiganbayan,” presidential spokesman Edwin acierda said.

“I think all of us are in agreement that when there is evidence, we should file cases against them. As to the list itself, we will wait for the assessment of Secretary De ima as to when is the proper time to disclose all these things,” he said.

acierda said whatever decision to be taken by De ima would be reviewed and evaluated again by the Office of Ombudsman.

“ et s not focus ourselves on what eila is going to do. et s also remember that what eila will do will again be evaluated by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales,” he said.

“Our fight against graft and corruption does not end with eila. It will pass through the ombudsman, which will file a case before the Sandiganbayan,” he said.

There had been reports of a list of lawmakers and officials supposedly tagged by Napoles in her affidavit on the pork barrel scam.

Napoles reportedly confirmed Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and amon evilla Jr. were in the list.

The three senators were among those to be indicted, including Napoles, for plunder and multiple counts of graft before the Sandiganbayan for pocketing some P5 7 million in kickbacks or commissions from their PDAF.