Senate panel subpoenas controversial Napoles list

Janet Lim Napoles arriving at Senate hearing on PDAF scam on November 7, 2013. PCI screencap of GMA News footage.

MANILA (PNA) – The Senate blue ribbon committee on Monday subpoenaed decus tecum the controversial list of Janet Lim Napoles containing the alleged public officials including senators involved in the pork barrel scam.

”I have just signed the subpoena for (Justice) Secretary (Leila) de Lima to surrender the list to the Senate,” Senate blue ribbon chairman Teofisto Guingona III said in a press briefing at the Senate.

Guingona said De Lima has no choice but to submit the Napoles list and other related documents to the Senate “in the spirit of transparency.”

”She cannot say no. She has to honor the subpoena. It’s time already (to submit) in the spirit of transparency. It’s time the list should be brought out,” Guingona said.

Guingona said the Napoles list at the hands of former Senator Panfilo Lacson should also be open to the public “so that there will be point of comparison.”

”Senator Lacson has committed to turn over documents that he has in his possession within this week,” Guingona said.

Asked by the media, Guingona refused to speculate on who among the senators were included in the Napoles list.

”I think it would be useless to speculate until everybody sees the Napoles list and the list also supplied to senator Lacson that he will also give to us,” he said.

On the call to reopen the Senate inquiry into the pork barrel scam, Guingona said the blue ribbon will “most likely” conduct hearing.

”That’s the next step but the first step is to get the list,” the lawmaker from Mindanao said.

Guingona said Senate President Franklin Drilon signed the subpoena duces tecum.

With the signing of the subpoena, Guingona said the caucus on Napoles list set Monday afternoon “has been cancelled.”

Earlier, Senate Majority Floor Leader Alan Peter Cayetano urged the Senate blue ribbon to subpoena the list of Napoles, the alleged mastermind of the alleged misuse of Php 10 billion priority development assistance fund (PDAF).

Cayetano also requested to subpoena the records and the documents, including, but not limited to, Special Allotment Release Orders (SAROs), Notices of Cash Allocation, Commission on Audit (COA) audit reports and supporting documents, and all other documents related to pork barrel scam investigation.

”The subpoena of these documents will facilitate our comprehensive and sweeping search for the truth – to cast no shadow of doubt on our institution and leave no stone unturned,” Cayetano said.

Cayetano also asked Guingona to subpoena Napoles and De Lima.