Naples Ghost Projects NINE MORE LAWMAKERS LINKED TO P407-M INFOTECH SCAM By Gil Cabacungan Philippine Daily Inquirer MANILA, Philippines—The lawyer of some whistle-blowers in the pork barrel scam has released a document linking nine more former and current lawmakers to suspected mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles—among them an aunt of President Aquino and three other former senators, two former representatives, two incumbent allies and the elder son of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Lawyer Levito Baligod showed the Inquirer the document amid rife speculation on the who’s who in Napoles’ tell-all affidavit in which the wannabe state witness revealed more names of lawmakers she had dealt with. The document pertains to a P407-million information technology project in 2002 and 2003 that was cornered by Napoles and endorsed by the nine legislators: former Senators Manuel Villar, Tessie Aquino-Oreta (an aunt of the President), Robert Jaworski and the late Robert Barbers (who died in December 2005); former Representatives Zenaida Ducut of Pampanga (currently chair of the Energy Regulatory Commission) and Federico Sandoval II of Malabon-Navotas; Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II and Deputy Speaker Carlos Padilla, and former Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo. The project proponents, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), spent P95 million in 2002 and P312 million in 2003 for the purchase of computer hardware and software ostensibly to establish municipal telecenters nationwide. Made-up lists The supplier was Jo-Chris Trading, owned by Napoles and run by her eldest daughter, after whom the company was named. Baligod said that based on testimony of former Napoles employees at JLN Corp., these projects involved “ghost deliveries.” They claimed Napoles simply made up the list of beneficiaries and faked the delivery receipts. “Jo-Chris Trading would present the same set of equipment to all the lawmakers as proof of purchase and delivery of the equipment. As far as the whistle-blowers know, there were no deliveries made,” said Baligod, the counsel of whistle-blowers Merlina Sunas, Nova Kay Macalintal, Lily Abundo and Adelina Lingo. Baligod explained that the funds were congressional initiatives or budgetary insertions made by the lawmakers at a time when then President Arroyo was currying favor with the minority bloc, while rewarding those who were instrumental in ousting former President Joseph Estrada in 2001. Baligod cited then Transportation Assistant Secretary and now Candaba, Pampanga, Mayor Rene Maglanque as Napoles’ main connection at the DOTC which was led by then Secretary Leandro Mendoza (who died in October last year). The NTC was led by then Commissioner Armi Jane Borje. On Oct. 9, 2002, then Budget Secretary Emilia Boncodin (who passed away in 2010) issued special allotment release order (Saro) A-0204754 disbursing P95 million for the DOTC-NTC telecenter project.
Posted on: Sun, 27 Apr 2014 22:11:36 +0000
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