Lacson names 5 more officials on ‘pork scam lists’

12 incumbent, 9 former senators are on 2 lists, he tells ‘Bandila’

Former Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Monday night named 5 more government officials allegedly implicated by businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles and whistleblower Benhur Luy in the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam.

Lacson, in a live interview on “Bandila,” was asked to answer “yes” or “no” to questions made by the late night newscast’s hosts.

He replied “yes” when asked if the following officials are on the pork barrel scam lists made by Napoles and Luy:

•    Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago
•     Budget Secretary and former Batanes Representative Florencio “Butch” Abad
•     Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero
•     Senator Alan Peter Cayetano
•     Senator Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan.

He added that three senators charged with plunder for the scam — Jinggoy Estrada, Juan Ponce Enrile, and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. — are also on the lists.

“Ang pinag-uusapan natin dito listahan both ni Ginang Napoles at ni Benhur Luy. Hindi ‘yung listahan lamang ni Ginang Napoles na binigay sakin kundi pati ‘yung listahan ni Benhur Luy na galing sa kanyang computer na nakita ko,” he said.

Senate President Franklin Drilon and Blue Ribbon Committee Chair Teofisto “TG” Guingona III are not on the lists made by Napoles and Luy, according to Lacson, who currently serves as Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery.

He said a total of 21 senators — 12 incumbent and 9 former lawmakers — are on the pork barrel scam lists.

ABS-CBNNews.com is still trying to get the side of officials named by Lacson during the late-night interview.

Abad, Santiago, Honasan, and Cayetano earlier denied benefiting from the pork barrel scam.

Cayetano and Escudero have also urged Lacson and Napoles to release their lists so they can clear themselves if they are implicated.

LACSON: NO TO NAPOLES AS STATE WITNESS

Lacson said Napoles’ list must be made public.

He also said the businesswoman should not be made a state witness even if he believes she is credible.

“Dahil siya ang puno’t dulo ng scam eh,” he explained.

Lacson said he cannot reveal all the names of politicians on Napoles’ list because he cannot attest to her statement’s truthfulness.

“It should be Mrs. Napoles who should make it public,” he said.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has issued a subpoena to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to produce the list of lawmakers who allegedly benefited from the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam.

Lacson and De Lima have promised to submit the lists given to them by Napoles to the Senate.

De Lima earlier declined to disclose the Napoles list to the public because she wanted to verify if there is evidence to back up the names on the list.

Investigators are believed to be cross-checking the names with the paper trail on the scam.

President Benigno Aquino has confirmed that several of his allies are on the lists of lawmakers who allegedly benefited from the scam but added that at least two lists do not match.

“I think I have seen, iyong physically seen, I have seen two and they don’t agree with each other exactly…They’re supposed to have come from Mrs. Napoles,” he told reporters.

“[Former] Senator [Panfilo] Lacson was telling me of another list given to him by relatives of Mrs. Napoles, ano. And, again, there is a substantial detail there that doesn’t again agree with the other two. So when you ask me: ‘Did you see a list?’ I think the best answer is I have seen physically two lists and I am told that there is a third list,” Aquino said.