Lacson: Execs must be held accountable for pork scam

SENATOR Panfilo Lacson said other lawmakers involved in the pork barrel fund scam who were able to get away during the past administration must now be revealed and should be held accountable before the proper court.

This was Lacson's statement on the possibility that plunder suspect Janet Napoles become a state witness in the pork barrel scam.

Lacson said he is expecting Napoles to tell all should the government decide to use her as a state witness and to name names for the sake of justice and fairness.

Lacson said he is expecting Napoles to reveal controversial names, which were submitted to then senator Teofisto Guingona III when the latter was still chairman of the Senate blue ribbon committee that investigated the pork barrel scam.

Lacson also revealed that Napoles children and her husband personally approached him during the time that he was then the Yolanda coordinator under the Aquino administration.

According to Lacson, names of at least 12 senators were mentioned as recipients, two cabinet secretaries and 90 members of the House Representatives who were allegedly transacting with Napoles on several instances in the past.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, for her part, expressed apprehension on the possibility of using Napoles as a state witness saying it is a travesty of justice.

The Akbayan senator described Napoles as a criminal mastermind who orchestrated one of the biggest multibillion-peso scams in recent history.

"It is glorifying a villain as a hero. Napoles is not a hero. Beyond this, I am afraid that the plan to turn Napoles into a state witness is an attempt to turn her into a political weapon to harass members of the political opposition. The Duterte government must not sacrifice the people’s pursuit of truth and justice to serve its lust for political vindictiveness," Hontiveros said. (Sun.Star Philippines)