An affidavit of one of the whistleblowers in the pork barrel scam appeared to corroborate alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles’ allegation that Budget Secretary Florencio Abad was one of her first conspirators in Congress when he was still Batanes congressman.
According to a report on GMA News “24 Oras”, an affidavit executed in November 2013 by former Napoles employee Merlina Suñas indicated that Abad was one of the House members that transacted with Napoles between 1997 and 1999.
Under Napoles’ scheme, lawmakers get fat kickbacks from Napoles after they channel their priority development assistance fund allocations to her fake non-government organizations.
Suñas’ November 2013 affidavit also identified the Sen. Ramon Revilla, Sr., as the first senator Napoles dealt with in connection with the pork barrel scam.
“Una naming naging client si former Senator Ramon Revilla Sr. Si Sen. Revilla Sr. pinakilala sa amin si Atty. Richard Cambe, isa sa mga staff niya na humahawak ng kanyang PDAF,” Suñas said in her affidavit.
Suñas said it was Revilla, Sr., that endorsed his son, Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr., to the Napoles group when he became senator in 2004.
Cambe went on to join the staff of Revilla, Jr. The younger Revilla is now one of the three senators facing charges for plunder in connection with the scam.
“Siyempre ilalagay namin (in Napoles’ affidavit) kung ano yung totoong nakikita namin dun sa records nila (whistleblowers) saka kung ano yung naging transaction nila. Pero correction, hindi iyon nagsimula sa ‘min,” Napoles’ lawyer Stephen David said.
“Ang nangyayari si Mrs. Napoles ang nag-eexpose sakanila, e hindi naman siya. Di ba November palang sinabi na sila (Abad and Revilla, Sr.) ng mga whistleblowers,” he added.
Abad was the representative of the lone district of Batanes from 1987 to 1990 and 1995 to 2004. Revilla, Sr., served as senator from 1992 to 2004.
Sought for a reaction, Revilla, Jr.’s, media relations officer said their camp will not issue a statement for now.
Revilla, Jr., has repeatedly denied involvement with the scam. He also claimed that his and Cambe’s signatures on the documents presented by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to the Office of the Ombudsman as evidence have been forged.
