Benhur Luy, one of the first to testify at Senate hearings on the scam, said it worried him when Napoles reportedly sent a letter to the Department of Justice asking to become a state witness.
Luy said they should also be given immunity from suit in addition to their inclusion in the government’s witness protection program.
Lawyer Stephen Cascolan, counsel for some of the pork barrel scam whistleblowers, also said that his clients are worried for their safety after the case is resolved.
“Ang basic question na lagi nilang sinasabi sa akin: ‘Saan ba kami pupulutin after all these years na lumalaban tayo kung wala kaming immunity?’,” Cascolan said.
Luy and the other whistleblowers were excluded from the cases filed by the Department of Justice in connection with the pork barrel scam in exchange for their testimonies and other evidence.
But Cascolan pointed out that the immunity granted to them should be in more concrete terms. “Ang trial nito ay ilang taon. Kung magbago ng president, ng secretary (of Justice) o ng ombudsman, irerespeto rin ba yung usapan?” Cascolan said.
“Mas maganda po sana na may kontrata na meron silang immunity from suit para kung sino man yung kaharap nila, buo ang loob nilang lumaban,” he added.
Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima confirmed that she received Napoles’ request to become state witness.
“We will look at the Rules of Court, we will look at the elements of [becoming a] state witness, kung puwede ba siya,” she said.
But for Luy’s camp, Napoles should not be allowed to turn state witness.
“She lied as many times as she denied any knowledge of the PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) scam and the personalities involved. This weighs heavily on her credibility.” lawyer Raji Mendoza, who also represents some of the whistleblowers, said. — Andrei Medina/JDS, GMA News
