LAWMAKERS on Thursday wanted to know why Solicitor General Jose Calida has moved to acquit Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged mastermind of the pork barrel scam, of illegal detention charges filed against her by whistleblower Benhur Luy.
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, a staunch ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, said that he asked for an explanation but raised the possibility that it is part of the administration’s strategy that has yet to be revealed.
Cayetano said the government could be working towards punishing others involved in the multi-million peso scam but were being protected.
I also want the SolGen to answer, but I guarantee you that the President will not allow any corruption to happen during the administration. And he will not absolve those who were corrupt in past administrations,” Cayetano told reporters in an interview.
“If there’s no strategy, this is unfortunate that it happened but if there’s a strategy, we should know what that is,” he added, noting that he is willing to wait for Calida to explain before making assumptions.
He also questioned the cases filed during the past administration.
“How come the cases filed in the Aquino administration were weak? In Napoles’ case, there were some involved in the controversy who were not included in cases filed,” he said.
Senator Risa Hontiveros described the decision as “disturbing” and said she could not understand why the government’s top lawyer would decide in favor of Napoles.
She added that Calida’s move was a challenge to the administration’s fight against corruption.
“I call on the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte to shed light on the issue. I also call on the public to closely monitor this issue, especially on the plunder cases against Napoles and others involved in the pork barrel scam,” Hontiveros said.
Party-list Rep. Harry Roque urged Calida to observe “full transparency” and show evidence to prove Napoles should not be jailed for illegal detention.
The congressman also asked the public not to worry as Napoles is still facing plunder charges.
On Wednesday, Calida said he was convinced of Napoles’ innocence on the illegal detention charge, because Luy was not restrained and was even able to see his family three times when he was supposed to be in captivity.
Luy, who was employed in Napoles’s JLN Group of Companies, claimed he was detained by Napoles and her brother, Reynaldo Lim at the Bahay ni San Jose, a Catholic retreat house in Magallanes Village, Makati City, occupied by priests, and then at the Pacific Plaza Towers in Taguig City, where the Napoles family resides.
Calida said no witnesses testified about Luy’s detention.
The Palace on Thursday defended Calida, saying they were just “giving justice” to Napoles, who was wrongfully convicted of a crime, despite the lack of evidence against her.
“The court erred in giving a conviction to the accused based on the evidence on record, and even the fiscal that filed the case from the very start,” said Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo.
Napoles was sentenced to 40 years in jail by Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 150 Judge Elmo Alameda in 2015, after she was found guilty of serious illegal detention in a case filed by her trusted aide, Benhur Luy.
Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV also questioned the solicitor general’s move.
“Why should the government act to protect Napoles?” he asked.