MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno Aquino III does not appear to be open to the idea of making alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles a state witness.

On Monday, May 19, on the sidelines of a United Nations conference on climate change, Aquino said it does not appear that Napoles meets at least one criterion of being a state witness: that she must not be the most guilty of a crime.

“Dahil nasa sentro siya, siya ang koneksyon ng lahat, parang mahirap naman yata sabihin na at this point, sa nababatid ko, paano natin sasabihing siya’y ‘not the most guilty’ kung nasa sentro siya?” he said. (Because she is at the center of it all, she is the common connection of all, I think it’s hard to say at this point, from what I understand, how are we going to say she is ‘not the most guilty’ if she is at the center of it all?)

At the same time, Aquino said that perhaps it was a strategy by some of those accused to change names on the list to “bring the whole house down.” He said some may be intentionally muddling the issue, and making it appear that everyone is guilty.

He again emphasized he would not allow that to happen.

“What they want is for us to pursue every lead. But if we follow that, my time will be up, the two years and one month I have left. We will not allow that,” he said. 

Truth and lies

Aquino said the government is also still checking if she fits another criterion regarding the truthfulness of her statements. He said the Department of Justice (DOJ) is still vetting her statements, but admitted the discrepancies in Napoles lists of allegedly involved lawmakers are questionable.

“Are we expecting at the present state that everything coming from her is true?… If she tells the truth then it will help. If she isn’t telling the truth it will help too because you need to support your lies with truth,” he said.

“So let’s just let things happen, let’s talk to her, because we will be able to get something from her even willingly or unwillingly from here,” he said.

Napoles, who faces plunder charges and is in jail for a separate illegal detention case,  has since volunteered information on the scam and offered names of others she transacted with in hopes of becoming a state witness. (READ: Napoles wants to be state witness – De Lima)

But the lists of names involved all supposedly from her do not match. There are reportedly at least 3 lists floating around, although only one – which she submitted to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima – is part of a signed affidavit bearing her signature.

Aquino pointed out that those who have the strongest evidence against them are already facing charges.

So far, plunder charges have been filed against Napoles, along with 3 incumbent senators – Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, and Bong Revilla – before the Office of the Ombudsman. – Rappler.com