MANILA, Philippines – Even if alleged pork barrel scam Janet Lim Napoles wanted to return funds to the government, she wouldn’t be able to afford it.

“If you look at our condition now, we don’t have the money. How can she afford it? She could barely settle her hospital bill,” Napoles’ counsel Bruce Rivera told Rappler, reacting to media reports saying Napoles was “willing to return” between P100 million to P200 million to the government.

It was Napoles’ lead counsel Stephen David who made the statement during an interview with GMA News.

Rivera said the offer “did not come from us,” referring to the Napoles family. Rivera serves as a special counsel and spokesperson for Napoles and her family members who are also being dragged into the scam.

In an interview with reporters, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima affirmed Rivera’s statements. “No, nobody has told me about it, not even the lawyers. I just heard it in the news,” she said. 

Quest for immunity 

Allegedly the architect of a scheme that involved the illegal transfer of public funds to bogus non-governmental organizations through fake projects, Napoles now wants to be state witness.

“Is it the state that will give the conditions [for her immunity], not us,” said Rivera, adding that David’s statements could have been “taken out of context” since they have yet to talk about returning Napoles’ alleged commissions from the scam.

Napoles has since submitted two affidavits before the justice department. It will now be up to the Ombudsman to decide if Napoles can be admitted as state witness. De Lima said the Ombudsman will also dictate any conditions for her immunity. 

Recently, the Ombudsman granted pork scam agent turned whistleblower Ruby Tuason immunity from the case in exchange for her testimony and the turnover of P40 million derived from pork transactions.

Napoles is currently detained at a police camp in Laguna for allegedly kidnapping aide turned scam whistleblower Benhur Luy. – Rappler.com