Napoles details ‘transactions’ with 20 senators

Ayee Macaraig

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From working with agents to directly handing senators' money, Napoles details her alleged dealings with 20 former and current senators

DEALINGS, RELATIONSHIPS. Janet Lim-Napoles, left (standing), rubs elbows with senators Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla in this photo taken during a party in Estrada's favorite hangout in San Juan. The man second from right is businessman Jaime Dichaves, who has owned to the Jose Velarde account initially linked to former President Joseph Estrada.

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles provided details on her supposed transactions with the officials she implicated in the country’s biggest corruption scandal in recent history.

In the two Napoles affidavits Justice Secretary Leila de Lima submitted to the Senate on Monday, May 26, Napoles, who wants to turn state witness, detailed how the lawmakers supposedly got their kickbacks. She also provided information about the agents who connected her to them. (READ: Napoles: I’m victim of scam, scapegoat of officials)

Napoles faces plunder charges for allegedly conniving with top lawmakers and executive officials to siphon off pork barrel to her bogus non-governmental organizations in exchange for rebates.

Napoles submitted two affidavits to the Senate: one dated May 12th detailed transactions with lawmakers who were part of the first batch of individuals charged over the scam; the second dated May 26, which was expanded to include other officials. (READ: Napoles affidavit names 9 more senators)

Napoles classified her transactions according to agents who, she said, approached her to offer lawmakers’ projects, and who asked for kickbacks in exchange.

Here’s a summary of the details of the deals Napoles claimed to have had with 20 former and incumbent senators, based on her May 12 and May 26 affidavits. Their responses can be found here

1. Senator Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan II

Agent: “Atty. Danny” (staff in Honasan’s office)

Napoles wrote in Filipino: “I did not meet or talk to Sen. Gringo Honasan. Only Atty “Danny” got P3,750,000 for one project.”

2. Former Senator Rodolfo Biazon

Agent: A certain “Bernard”

Napoles wrote: “Bernard is the staff of Cong Biazon who went to us, and brought the funds of Cong Biazon that was implemented by NLDC.” It was a reference to the National Livelihood Development Corporation.

3. Former Senator Loi Estrada

Agent: Carlos “Butch,” Tuason, and Lyn and Mat Ranillo. (Editor’s note: Tuason is the late husband of self-confessed bagman Ruby Tuason. Ruby is the former social secretary of former President Joseph Estrada. Mat Ranillo III is a former actor originally from Cebu who later moved to the US.)

Other agents: Ruby Tuason, Tet De Joya, Alfredo Villamor

Napoles said the Tuason couple, De Joya, and Villamor brought her projects of former Senator Estrada. She said the projects were coursed through the Department of Agriculture in the CARAGA administrative region in Mindanao.

“I remember I even issued a check in the name of Butch Tuason worth P8M,” Napoles said.

As for the Ranillo couple, Napoles said an Alice Villanueva or Lourdes “Baby” Villanueva Reyes introduced her to the Ranillos. The Ranillos allegedly asked her for money for Mat’s congressional bid in Dipolog. “After Mat Ranillo lost, he offered to give me projects of Senator Estrada in exchange for the help I gave him.”

Mat Ranillo supposedly brought Napoles a SARO he got from a certain Jake Acuna.

(Editor’s note: Atty Alfredo Villamor had been previously identified as a lawyer of the Napoles family and of Napoles’ flagship company, JLN Corporation. He had been identified in the affidavits of whistleblowers as being present during key moments during Benhur Luy’s supposed illegal detention.)

4. Former Senator Tessie Aquino-Oreta  

Agent: Carlos “Caloy” Reyes

Napoles said Reyes got a “rebate” of 4% from her office. She said many of Oreta’s projects were implemented through local government units, the agriculture department, and others.

Of Oreta, she said, “I did not know or see her. The one I was in touch with was Caloy Reyes until Brian Yamsuan was introduced to me.”

(Editor’s note: Yamsuan was a former consultant to Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr and a Palace undersecretary under the Estrada adminstration. It was he who reportedly arranged Napoles’ interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer.)

5. Senator Loren Legarda

Agent: Catherine Mae “Maya” Santos

Napoles said Santos acted as agent for Legarda’s project worth P24 million. “The other project was P50,000,000 and P5,000,000 implemented through NLDC.”

Napoles said Santos got 50% of the project cost as rebate but she did not know how much Santos gave Legarda.

“[It was Santos] I talked to because I do not know Senator Loren. She was the one offering, processing papers, and having the documents for the projects signed. In my estimate, she got almost P39,500,000 just for this project.”

(Editor’s note: Santos was former undersecretary at the National Anti-Poverty Commission Undersecretary and became assistant secretary and undersecretary at the Department of Agriculture during the Arroyo administration. She also served as project coordinator of Senators Marcos and Legarda, according to one of the pork barrel scam whistleblowers, Marina Sula. In a statement on Monday night, however, Legarda again denied having dealings with Napoles or her group. “I have never dealt with them and have never even heard of their foundations. Above all, I have never received monetary or any form of illegal benefit from my PDAF or its equivalent at any time.”)

6. Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr

Agent: Catherine Mae “Maya” Santos

Napoles said Santos approached her to offer projects from Marcos’ office. “I did not directly talk to or know Senator Marcos.”

Napoles said according to Santos, she (Santos) was the one tasked to oversee the senator’s projects and funds. Santos supposedly asked for 50% for each project she could give Napoles.

“Minsan niyang sinabi na pinag-iinitan siya ng mga tao sa opisina dahil nagdududa na sila na kumikita siya ng malaki sa mga pondong kanyang hawak.” (She at one point said the people in their office had started suspecting her of earning a lot from the funds she handles.)

Napoles added that Santos asked her help to buy a lot for a house. Santos also supposedly asked her for money to pay a contractor of a house because Santos did not want the ownership of the house to be traced. The house and lot were supposedly under the name of Santos’ children.

“Aside from this, Santos also said she has various properties like a vast land in Tanay and a house in San Diego, California that she named under her child.”

(Editor’s note: Marcos has denied any involvement in the scam but has yet to respond to Napoles’ affidavit.)

7. Senator Vicente Sotto III

Agent: Jennifer “Jen” Corpuz

Napoles said before Sotto ran for senator (she did not say when), Corpuz brought a Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) worth P200 million for the Department of Agrarian Reform. She said Corpuz got the “rebate” from her office worth P100 million.

Napoles then detailed 7 amounts totaling P225 million channeled through the NLDC from 2010 to 2012. “In all these transactions, the sole person I talked to was Jeniffer (sic) Corpuz.”

“At one point, she asked me for a Hyundai Starex that she said will be given on the birthday of Senator Sotto’s wife.” Sotto is married to actress Helen Gamboa.

She said in all transactions, Corpuz asked for 40% for Sotto, and 10% for herself.

8. Former Senate President Manuel “Manny” Villar Jr

Agent: Jun Adriano

Napoles said Candaba, Pampanga Mayor Rene Maglanque introduced Adriano to her for a project in the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC). “Jun in turn introduced me to Sen Manny Villar. I gave money to Sen. Villar for the elections because he asked for it. We met in Shaw Boulevard.”

(Editor’s note: Villar has denied having any dealings with Napoles and her NGOs.)

9. Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III

Agent: Jewel Pimentel

Napoles said, “Louie Cruz (another agent) gave money to Jewel Pimentel worth P4M advance for a project amounting to P10 million.”

(Editor’s note: Jewel Lobaton is Pimentel’s estranged wifePimentel has denied transacting with Napoles, and has refused to comment on the involvement of his ex-wife.)

10. Senator Juan Ponce Enrile

Agents: Ruby Tuason and Lucila “Gigi” Reyes, Enrile’s former chief of staff

In her May 12 affidavit, Napoles detailed 9 transactions involving Enrile’s PDAF (totaling P345 million). She gave details about the transactions for each SARO. She did not mention meeting Enrile.

The implementing agencies were the Technology and Livelihood Resource Center (TLRC), National Agribusiness Corporation (Nabcor) and NLDC.

Napoles said the division of kickbacks was Enrile (45% less tax), Tuason (10% less tax), and the following agency officials: Antonio Ortiz (10% less tax) and Dennis Cunanan (5% less tax) for TLRC, Alan Javellana (10% less tax) and Rhoda Mendoza (5% less tax) for Nabcor, and Alexis Sevidal (5% less tax) for NLDC. In the one transaction where Napoles listed Reyes, she said Reyes got 5% less tax.

Napoles said the “commission” of Enrile and Tuason was either:

  • picked up by Tuason or her driver “Al” in Napoles’ office in Discovery Suites or in Napoles’ unit in Pacific Plaza
  • brought by Napoles to Tuason’s Dasmariñas Village home in Makati

(Editor’s note: Reyes has pointed to Enrile’s deputy chief of staff, Jose Antonio Evangelista, as being the one who signed reviewed and endorsed documents relating to project proposals.)

11. Former Senator Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr

Agent: Mon Arcenas

Napoles said she did not know Pimentel personally but talked only to Arcenas. “He was the one who brought the SARO, had the papers signed, and got rebates of the project.”

Napoles said she recalls projects implemented through local government units in 2003 worth P14 million. “Mon got the rebate of 45%.”

12. Former Senator Ramon Magsaysay

Agents: Patricia “Gay” Agana Tan

Napoles said, “Gay Agana Tan went to me to get a cash advance of 50% of the project implemented through DA-NAFC.” NAFC stands for National Agricultural and Fishery Council.

(Editor’s note: Magsaysay has said he never dealt with Napoles or her NGOs.)

13. Senator Jinggoy Estrada

Agents: Ruby Tuason and Pauline Labayen, Estrada’s former appointments secretary

Napoles detailed 7 transactions involving Estrada’s PDAF (total of P306.35 million). In some cases, she personally handed money to Estrada while in others, Tuason and Estrada’s staff Pauline Labayen acted as agents. She gave details about the transactions for each SARO.

Nabcor and NLDC were the implementing agencies.

Napoles said the division of kickbacks was Estrada (45% but later went up to 55%), agent Tuason (10%) or Labayen (5%), and agency officials Javellana (10%), Mendoza (5%) for Nabcor, or Sevidal (5% or 5% after tax) for NLDC.

Napoles said she personally handed Estrada P13.337 million in his office in #82 Lt Artiaga San Juan around October 2009. She met Estrada after Labayen called her. “She told me Senator Estrada wanted to talk to me, and I did …. He instructed me to bring the agreed amount at his office.”

For the other transactions, Tuason would get the commissions by picking them up or having them picked up from Napoles’ office. In some instances, Napoles or her staff made deliveries to Tuason. Labayen also picked up cash from Napoles’ office. Napoles also made a cash delivery to Labayen’s “Tips and Toes” in Wilson St, Greenhills in October 2009.

(Editor’s note: Labayen was former appointments secretary of Estrada. She resigned mid-July 2013.)

14. Senator Alan Peter Cayetano

Agent: A certain Tito Boy, whom Napoles described as Cayetano’s uncle

Napoles said Cayetano’s uncle “Boy” became an agent for a DOTC project when Cayetano was still a congressman. “The project did not push through because we did not reach an agreement about the rebate.”

“The rebate they were asking for was bigger than what I could give so the advanced money that was given to Tito Boy was returned. When I got the money returned, it was not complete.”

In a separate list under “no agents,” Napoles said she gave money for the campaign of Cayetano in the last election. “We met in Slice restaurant in Bonifacio Global City. I personally handed the money to him.”

(Editor’s note: Cayetano has said said he never dealt with Napoles or her NGOs.)

15. Senator Lito Lapid

Agent: Zenaida Ducut, chairperson of the Energy Regulatory Commission and former Pampanga representative

Napoles wrote: “A project worth P5 million from the Commission on Appointment (sic) that was a fund implemented by the DA.”

16. Senator Francis Escudero

No agent

Napoles said former Agusan del Sur Representative Ompong Plaza introduced her to Escudero in a private room in Edsa Shangri-la hotel in 2010.

“There, I was convinced to financially support his presidential bid. I gave him financial help on that day. The next time we met was in the restaurant Taste of LA, a few months after the election and when he was sitting senator. We talked about the project that he could give me. I again gave him money that afternoon but no project pushed through.”

17. Senator Cynthia Villar (former Las Piñas Representative)

Agent: Arman Padilla

Napoles said she transacted with Villar for the 2004 DOTC project of the Congress minority bloc. The project was worth P3.74 million for the delivery of computers.

“Arman Padilla facilitated all papers and asked the congressmen to sign and bring the papers to DOTC. I was the only one who delivered products. He also got rebates of 30% for the congressmen in the minority bloc.”

(Editor’s note: Villar previously said her constituents accepted the computers from the DOTC in good faith, and she did not know where these came from.)

18. Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr

Agent: Richard Cambe

Napoles detailed 5 transactions involving Revilla’s PDAF (total of P275 million). In some cases, she personally handed money to Revilla, while in others, his staff Richard Cambe acted as agent. She gave details about the transactions for each SARO.

The NLDC was the sole implementing agency in all 5 transactions.

Napoles said the division of kickbacks was Revilla (40%), Cambe (5%), and NLDC’s Sevidal (5% “less tax”).

Napoles said she personally handed Revilla P8 million in his home in 114 Sarangani St., Ayala Alabang Village, Muntinlupa in January 2009.

For the other transactions, Cambe would pick up commissions from her Discovery Suites office and bring the SARO there. She said that in May 2009, “Senator Revilla called and told me that Atty Cambe will pick up the cash in my office.” After giving Cambe the cash, Napoles said she “confirmed with Senator Revilla over the phone before he left.” She said in another instance in May 2009, “Senator Revilla acknowledged the receipt” via phone. 

Napoles said Revilla and Cambe sometimes requested for the full commission, instead of getting it in two tranches, because they needed cash.

(Editor’s note: Cambe was formerly a senior staff of former senator Ramon Revilla Sr, who chaired the public works committee in the Senate. He first worked for the senior Revilla in 1993 and was retained by the son when he won as senator. He has denied being the bagman of the younger Revilla.)

19. Former Senator Roberto Jaworski

Agents: Tet de Joya and Freddie Villamor

Napoles said de Joya and Villamor became agents for a P10-million project of Jaworski, consisting of “funds from CA” around 2004. “I did not talk to or meet Senator Jaworski. Tet introduced to me Dudut Jaworski.”

20. The late senator Robert Barbers

Agent: Rose Palacio

Napoles said, “Our project was DA-LGU then. What I recall is Rose Palacio asked for 50% and she got this from the office.”

(Editor’s note: Barbers passed away in December 2005. A former police officer, he became congressman in 1992 and then was appointed to the Department of the Interior and Local Government by then president Fidel V. Ramos. He ran for the Senate in 1998 and won but lost when he sought reelection in 2004.) 

Read Napoles’ May 12, 2014 affidavit covering the first batch of pork barrel scam here:

Read Napoles’ May 26, 2014 extended affidavit naming more officials here: – Rappler.com

 

  

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