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Friday, March 29, 2024

LP senators: Napoles acquittal ‘disturbing’

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AT LEAST two Liberal Party senators on Tuesday considered as a disturbing development the acquittal of Janet Lim-Napoles in the illegal-detention-case filed against her by a whistle-blower.

“We already expected this. By now, the all-too-familiar habit of the Duterte regime to enter into exchange deals with convicted criminals is evident, where the lowliest scums are used to frame up political enemies,” detained Senator Leila de Lima said.

“I know this. I am the first victim of this despicable practice. What worries me more is the possibility of the judiciary succumbing to Malacañang’s pressures.”

Senator Bam Aquino said much the same thing. 

“It’s disturbing, it’s demeaning that a convicted person, whom we can say is one of the biggest masterminds of one of the biggest scams that we’ve ever seen, would be acquitted in her first case,” Aquino said.

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He said some lawyers had told him that whistle-blower Benhur Luy’s testimony in Napoles’ plunder and graft cases over the pork barrel scam would be weakened.

“I think that’s the main, one of the big evidences in the plunder case. I hope her plunder case will not weaken due to the acquittal of Napoles,” Aquino said.

“It leaves many of us scratching our heads. We are just scratching our heads now due to this happening. I hope it will not weaken the plunder case against her.”

De Lima appealed to the judges and justices not to allow themselves to be bullied by the President into issuing unjust judgments. 

“Like any bully, this one will have his just desserts. And when that time comes, all his collaborators, whether from the legislative, executive or judiciary, will be remembered by their names,” she said. 

Senator Leila de Lima

“Our justices are called Justice for a reason. They are expected to give justice, especially when there is so much injustice around us. They are not prostitutes to be disrobed inside the bedrooms of Malacañang.”

De Lima said the possibility that Napoles in turn would be used against her for her supposed selective prosecution of corrupt legislators was, “I was told, implied today in an interview of Napoles’ lawyer.”

De Lima said that, in Duterte’s desire for the absolute acquiescence of all politicians, it was not remote that the President would use Napoles to blackmail and threaten any remaining opposition in Congress.

“This whole Mafiosi scheme is as shameless as it is destructive of our political system. It is vintage Duterte,” she said. 

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