Napoles damns Drilon, said she gave P5 million for election bid

DISGRACED businesswoman, Janet Lim-Napoles, who remains in prison after being indicted for the so-called ‘PDAF Scam’ during the Noynoy Aquino administration, has issued a sworn statement last October 2, 2021, disputing the claim of Senate Minority Leader and Liberal Party stalwart, Franklin Drilon, that he “does not know” Napoles.

In the statement written in the vernacular that Napoles turned over to lawyer Larry Gadon, Napoles also bared that Drilon even called her during the election period in 2010 and demanded from her a “contribution” of P5 million for Drilon’s Senate election bid and where he again won.

“Hindi tutuo o walang katotohanan ang sinasabi ni Senator Franklin Drilon na hindi nya ako kilala , na wala siyang kaugnayan sa akin, na walang katotohanan na ang asawa lamang  niya ang may kakilala sa akin . Ang katotohanan ay Si Senator Franklin Drilon mismo ang may kakilala sa akin at siya mismo ang nakikipagusap sa akin sa maraming pagkakataon,” reads the first paragraph of Napoles’ statement.

A backgrounder on Napoles

Napoles rose to infamy after she was linked to the P10 billion PDAF Scam where she allegedly put up bogus non-government organizations (NGOs), foundations and companies and where the PDAF (priority development assistance fund or pork barrel) allocations of some members of Congress and the Senate are then channeled involving ‘ghost projects.’ The involved lawmakers would then receive a percentage from Napoles.

Napoles’ original case was for kidnapping (serious illegal detention) of her cousin, Benhur Luy, who was then a main witness in the ongoing Senate investigation of the scam and where she was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment on April 14, 2015.

Other convictions soon followed: for plunder over the PDAF Scam on December 7, 2018; for graft and malversation early this year along with Cagayan de Oro congressman, Constantino Jaraula.

In the early 2000, during the term of Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Napoles was also indicted over the P900 million ‘Malampaya Fund Scandal’ and the P728 million ‘Fertilizer Fund Scam.’

She was also accused of involvement in the delivery of substandard ‘Kevlar’ helmets for the Armed Forces of the Philippines in 2001 but was acquitted in 2010, in time for the entry into Malacañang of the Noynoy Aquino administration.

Under manhunt for the kidnapping case involving Benhur Luy, Napoles was personally received by Pres. Noynoy Aquino in Malacañang when she decided to surrender last August 28, 2013 thru then presidential spokesperson, Edwin Lacierda.

Aquino then personally turned over Napoles to the Philippine National Police

The manner of her surrender raised questions as it was the first time that a Philippine President agreed to accept the surrender, and personally guarantee, the safety of a suspected kidnapper and scam artist. Observers say the arrangement point to Napoles’ close personal link to Aquino or some of his top officials and political allies.

Although accused of “masterminding” the PDAF Scam, Napoles, since 2014, claimed that it was Aquino’s budget secretary, Florencio ‘Butch’ Abad, who “tutored” her on how to manipulate the lawmakers’ pork barrel by using bogus NGOs and foundations.

In a report by GMA-7 on May 13, 2014 (‘Janet Napoles claims Butch Abad taught her how to set up foundations;’ https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/360879/janet-napoles-claims-butch-abad-taught-her-how-to-set-up-foundations/story/), the article, with Sen. Panfilo Lacson as sourced, further noted that Napoles was already familiar with Abad by 2000 when the latter was still a congressman representing his province of Batanes.

Abad, back then and like Drilon up to now, promptly denied Napoles’ exposé.

The turn of Sen. Frank Drilon

Since 2013, when a photograph of Drilon appeared showing him in the company of Napoles, the then Senate President repeatedly denied he had personal dealings with Napoles and her fake NGOs.

Drilon cited the many reports of the Commission on Audit (COA) showing he has not made any transaction from any of the many NGOs and foundations created by Napoles, unlike his other Senate colleagues.

The matter should have rested there except that last September 11, 2021, Pres. Duterte challenged Drilon to “explain” his relationship and connection to Napoles, who remains incarcerated at the Women’s Correctional Facility in Mandaluyong City.

“Itong si Drilon he might want to explain his relationship with Janet Lim Napoles since you want to discuss corruption and the use of people’s money. I can still remember that Ms. Napoles tampered with billions of pesos,” Pres. Duterte said.

The Chief Executive also revived the accusation linking Drilon to Iloilo mayor, Jed Patrick Mabilog and former police general, Marcelo Garbo, who were both listed in the government’s ‘Narco List.’

Drilon promptly issued a denial of his relationship with Napoles, Garbo and Mabilog and accused Pres. Duterte of “harassing” the opposition.

“We will not be distracted. We will not let distractions and disinformation prevail. All I heard is old news – the Napoles issue, Jed Mabilog, and Gen. Garbo,” Drilon said in the statement he released right after the President’s speech.

“I cannot comprehend why the President wanted me to explain my connection with former Mayor Jed Mabilog and Gen. Garbo. But what I can say is, there is not an iota of evidence that will link my name to illegal drugs,” said Drilon further.

“If all these malicious attacks is the price we have to pay for exposing the truth, then be it. We will face them,” he added.

But in the video clip that accompanied Napoles’ October 2 statement procured by Gadon and shared to the media, Napoles bluntly accused Drilon of being a “liar.”

“Senator Franklin Drilon, sinungaling ka,” Napoles said.

In her statement, Napoles said she personally delivered the P5 million cash to Drilon one week after their first meeting at the coffee shop of EDSA Shangrila Makati.

She said the money was inside a ‘Lacoste’ paper bag and personally accepted by the lawmaker.

“Kami ay nagkitang muli sa naturan na lugar pagkaraan ng isang linggo , sa lobby coffee  lounge ng Shangrila Hotel sa Makati City  at duon ay ibinigay ko personal kay Senator Franklin Drilon mismo  ang halagang lima (5) milyong piso na nakapaloob sa paper bag ng  Lacoste,” reads paragraph 5 of Napoles’ statement.

Napoles also bared in her statement that Drilon was active in the ouster of then Chief Justice Renato Corona concocted by Malacañang and the Liberal Party.

She also bared that the Palace and Drilon are willing to bribe his fellow senators with upwards to P200 million in PDAF projects if they would join the ouster plot against the Chief Justice.

Napoles said Drilon bared to her the details during a meeting at her office at the Discovery Hotel, Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

The Senate received the impeachment complaint against CJ Corona on December 13, 2010, just one day after it was approved by Congress and decided to constitute itself as an impeachment court the next day, December 14, 2011.

It would take the Senate less than 5 months since the start of the impeachment trial on January 16, 2012, to remove Corona from office, May 12, 2012 to render a verdict of “guilty” against the country’s top magistrate and leader of the judicial branch of government.

Of the senators, only 3 voted in favor of Corona—senators Joker Arroyo, Miriam Defensor Santiago and Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos.

According to the sixth paragraph of Napoles’ statement:

“Upang patunayan na si Senator Franklin Drilon ay may kaugnayan sa akin at ako ay kilala nya ng personal , nuong bago ma convict sa impeachment si dating Chief Justice Renato Corona ay nag-usap kami ni Senator Franklin Drilon sa telepono at siya ay pinapunta ko sa aking opisina sa 25th floor Dicsovery Hotel  sa Ortigas Center at ako ay inutusan  nya na kumbinsihin ang ilang senador na iboto nila ang pagtanggal kay Chief Justice Renato sa pamamagitan ng pagbigay ng proyekto sa mga senador na mangagagaling sa Malacanang na nagkakahalaga ng  200 milyong piso bawat isa.

“Kami ay bumaba sa Steak House or restaurant  sa 22nd floor ng Discovery Hotel upang ipagpatuloy ang pag-uusap at upang harapin ang isang senador at kumbinsihin ito na bumoto sa pagtanggal kay Chief Justice Renato Corona na napilitan pumayag.

“Ang isang senador naman ay nakumbinsi sa pamamagitan lamang ng tawag sa telepono na napilitan rin pumayag sapagkat ito ay may basbas daw  ng Malacanang sang ayon na rin ay Senator Frank Drilon.”

Napoles added that she made the statement freely and absent any threat or influence.

For his part, Gadon added that Napoles’ statement would be made available to any investigation by any body or authority interested in knowing the personal relationship between Drilon and Napoles and in proving who between them is telling the truth.