Corruption Update: Official list of Senators, Lawmakers and Aides facing Plunder , Graft cases for ₱10-billion corruption scandal in the Philippines, Enrile got Hospitalized

PORK SCAM EVIDENCE The National Bureau of Investigation shows to the media stacks of documentary evidence against Senators Ramon Revilla Jr., Jinggoy Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile, and former Representatives Rizalina Seachon-Lanete and Edgar Valdez whom the NBI charged with plunder in the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the alleged P10-billion (S$ 290 million) pork barrel scam. Philippine Daily Inquirer

"In the beginning, we did not know if we could do it, but here we are now. We were guided by God."

 

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima's remarks followed a Thanksgiving Mass before the filing of charges of plunder, malversation, bribery, graft and corrupt practices in the Office of the Ombudsman against …

Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged brains behind a ₱10-billion racket involving congressional pork barrel funds,

Senators Juan Ponce Enrile,

Ramon Revilla Jr. and

 Jinggoy Estrada..

 .. and 34 other people.

 

"This is something historic," she told reporters at the headquarters of the National Bureau of Investigation after the Mass attended by former employees of Napoles, who revealed the alleged schemes of the businesswoman to channel allocations from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and other state funds into ghost projects through dummy nongovernment organizations.

 

De Lima called the whistle-blowers and their lawyer, Levito Baligod, "our heroes today."

 

"We couldn't have done it without you," she said. "We hope we will remain strong."

 

An executive summary of the NBI complaint filed in the Office of the Ombudsman said the three senators received a total of ₱581,140,750 (S$ 16,900,000) in kickbacks for allowing Napoles to use their pork barrel allocations meant to ease poverty in the countryside and the plight of storm victims.

 

According to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Senators and Two former members of the House of Representatives would be charged with plunder for receiving kickbacks..

Senator Juan Ponce Enrile received ₱ 172,834,500 ($3,963,267.92 USD) as his cut in the proceeds of ghost projects;

Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla received ₱224,512,500 ($5,148,296.14 USD)

 Senator Jinggoy Estrada received ₱183,793,750 ($4,214,574.48 USD)

Former House Representative Rizalina Seachon-Lanete received ₱108,405,000 ($2,485,835.06 USD)

Former House Representative Edgar Valdez received ₱56,087,500 ($1,286,142.46 USD).

 

Charges of malversation, direct bribery and other graft and corrupt practices were leveled against three former representatives:

Rodolfo Plaza who allegedly received ₱42,137,800 ($966,261.89 USD) from PDAF allocations of ₱79,500,000;

Samuel Dangwa received ₱26,770,472 ($613,873.69 USD) from PDAF allocations of ₱54 million

Constantino Jaraula received ₱20,843,750 ($477,968.03 USD) from PDAF allocations of ₱50.5 million.

 

Facing the same charges are former chiefs of staff or aides of the lawmakers-

Jessica Lucila "Gigi" Reyes (Enrile)

Richard Cambe (Revilla)

Ruby Tuazon (Enrile/Estrada)

Pauline Labayen (Estrada)

Jose Sumalpong

Jenanette de la Cruz (Lanete)

Erwin Dangwa

 Carlos Lozada (Dangwa).

 

The heads of agencies charged with plunder or malversation, bribery and graft and corruption were:

 

Allan Javellana, former president, National Agribusiness Corp. (Nabcor)

Gondolina Amata, president, National Livelihood Development Cooperation (NLDC);

Antonio Ortiz, former director general of the Training and Research Center (TRC)

 Dennis Cunanan, former deputy director general and now director general of TRC

Salvador Salacup, former president, ZNAC Rubber Estate Corporation and now assistant agriculture secretary.

 

Also facing plunder and malversation are the heads of Napoles' NGOs:

Jocelyn Piorato (Agricultura para sa Magbubukid Foundation)

Nemesio Pablo (Agri and Economic Program for Farmers Foundation)

Mylene Encarnacion (Countrywide Agri and Rural Economic and Development Foundation)

Evelyn de Leon (Philippine Social Development Foundation)

 Ronald John Lim (Ginintuang Alay sa Magsasaka Foundation).

 

Finally, the implementing agency officials and employees involved in plunder or malversation, bribery, or graft by conspiracy for 40-60 per cent in kickbacks are:

 Victor Cacal (Nabcor)

Romulo Revelo (Nabcor)

Ma. Ninez Guanizo (Nabcor)

 Julie Johnson (Nabcor)

 Rhodora Mendoza (Nabcor)

Alexis Sevidal (NLDC)

Sofia Cruz (NLDC)

 Chila Jalandoni  (NLDC)

Francisco Jover (TRC)

 Marivic Jover (TRC).

 

 

The NBI executive summary said the lawmakers received 40 to 60 per cent of the cash value of the cost of the project they had endorsed.

 

"These kickbacks are the lawmaker's bribe for giving undue favor to a Napoles NGO, or represent his illegally contracted share from a malversation scheme designed to misuse and misappropriate public funds entrusted to him, and which he appropriates instead for private gain rather than the public benefit intended by law," the NBI said.

 

"In order to accomplish all this, the lawmakers took advantage and abused their official position and authority as Senators and Congressmen of the Republic, thereby unjustly enriching themselves at the expense and to the damage and prejudice of the people and the Republic," it said.

 

"The acts constituting the offences were performed willfully, deliberately, and maliciously with the legislators knowing fully well that their act of receiving the large amounts of cash from Napoles for their private use resulted in the corresponding diminution of the funds actually expended for the public purposes intended by law."

 

NBI Assistant Director Medardo de Lemos signed the NBI complaint, along with the private complaint of the whistle-blowers prepared by Baligod. The NBI recommended that the Office of the Ombudsman conduct a preliminary investigation to determine if the case merits prosecution in the Sandiganbayan.

 

Hours before receiving the NBI complaint, the Ombudsman announced with "regrets" it was clamping a news blackout on its investigations in the PDAF cases "to avoid any appearance of partiality or prejudgment." This move was in stark contrast to the cases against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and in the impeachment trial of ousted Chief Justice Renato Corona when the Ombudsman revealed all available information it had in its possession.

 

In a statement, Communications Secretary Ramon A. Carandang said: "The filing of charges continues a process prescribed by the Constitution and is proof that our democratic system and our legal processes are working. All the accused will be given their day in court under a fair and impartial trial."

 

The Inter-Agency Anti-Graft Coordinating Council (IAAGCC) continues its investigation and will file more charges as evidence warrants, Carandang said, referring to a parallel inquiry into the pork barrel scam.

 

"We urge the public to diligently and soberly follow this process that will be pursued to its legal conclusion," he said.

 

Lookout bulletin

 

The Bureau of Immigration said the 38 people charged would either be placed under its "lookout bulletin" or hold departure order depending on orders of the Department of Justice.

 

Napoles, 49, is being held at Fort Sto. Domingo, a Philippine National Police antiterrorism training school in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna, for the alleged illegal detention of Benhur Luy, the principal whistle-blower. She disappeared Aug. 14 after a Makati court issued a warrant for her arrest. She surrendered to President Aquino on Aug. 28, saying she feared for her life.

 

The NBI said the investigation of Napoles began after its rescue of Luy. The NBI said Luy was held captive by Napoles "in order to prevent him from coming out and exposing what he knows about the PDAF scam operation being conducted by Napoles through the JLN group of companies and fake NGOs."

 

Enrile was taken to Makati Medical Center on Saturday after he complained of difficulty in urinating," said his son, former Cagayan Rep. Jack Enrile.

 

"As a result, his blood pressure became elevated," the younger Enrile said in a statement last night. He said doctors found an obstruction in his urethra and immediately removed this.

 

"I regret that the Department of Justice has filed this case after an incomplete, hasty, and partial investigation," Enrile said in a statement Monday night. "Let me make clear that I am innocent of the charges filed against me."

 

Looking relaxed in a news conference; Estrada denied the charges and said he would face them squarely. "I will not leave the country. If ever I do, I will return and face the charges," he said.

 

Revilla earlier called the charges against him a "demolition job."

 

With reports from Gil C. Cabacungan, Jocelyn R. Uy and TJ A. Burgonio

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For another ₱700 Million, DTI Slow.. and OVER SLEEPING with several millions unused fund for countryside’s MSME Shared Facility

Philippine' Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) big dreamer and oversleeping!  slow.. slow.. slow… !

 

How could the Philippines compete with other ASEAN countries in 2015 if this DTI' attitude is always in sleeping and dreaming?

 

The ASEAN countries including the Philippines agreed for "1 ASEAN Market in 2015" patterned alike to European countries but survey shows the Philippines is not yet ready and not yet competitive enough to join the 1 ASEAN Market 2015.

 

1 ASEAN Market in 2015 is Unstoppable! Neighbors are quick and fast preparing while the Philippines is still sleeping (Pilipinas! Nagmata ka lang ug MORNING)

 

When the 1 ASEAN market will open in 2015, it's comparable to a huge flood with strong current of products from Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Singapore, Brunei and Laos to flow and invade to the Philippine Market without tax while Philippines would only show the rotten bananas! (bang!!!!)

 

With ASEAN-China, ASEAN-Korea and ASEAN-Japan FTA agreement.. China's cheap products will dominate and flow like smelly pieces to the Philippines without Tax and invade the market then kill the local micro and small enterprises without any products and strength to resist and shield the flow of the other dominant market.

 

In less than 2 years, the invasion is set to happen but the Philippine' micro and small enterprises is not yet ready, no shields and nothing to produce, no processing plant, nothing at all. But yes!, the government handover ₱700 Million to the DTI.

 

The Department of Trade and Industry in-tasked for helping the Micro, Small and Medium enterprises  (MSMEs) in the countryside to set up the shared services facilities (SSF) for processing equipment and facilities for private sector partners but ended up to plan and proposals only without a quick action to materialize the plan.

 

• WHAT ARE YOU DOING DTI WITH THAT SEVERAL MILLIONS ON HAND?
• WHY DON'T YOU MOVE QUICKLY TO EQUIP OUR MSME SO THEY COULD PREPARE FOR THE "1 ASEAN 2015"?
• WHY DON'T YOU PRIORITIZE THESE MSMEs THAT WOULD SERVE AS MICRO ARMIES OF THE PHILIPPINES TO PRODUCE PRODUCTS TO COMPETE WITH OTHER ASEAN?
• WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT MILLIONS SLEEPING IN THE POCKET?
• YOU HAVE THE PLAN, THE PROPOSALS AND YOU HAVE APPROVED BUDGET AND HAVE FUND! WHEN ARE YOU PLANNING TO USE THEM, IT'S NOT YOURS DTI!!!
• WHY ARE YOU ASKING FOR ANOTHER ₱700 MILLION FOR NEXT YEAR WHEREIN HUGE CHUNK OF THE FUND FOR THIS YEAR'S REMAINED UNTOUCHED?
• ARE YOU COLLECTING FUND FROM THE TAX PAYER FOR FUND COLLECTION HOBBY?
• WAKE UP NOW DTI!!!

 

How could the small and micro enterprises in the countryside leap to compete with other ASEAN if the Plan of DTI is only for a big dream without any action?

 

DTI holds huge untouched fund for the small and micro enterprises for the shared services facilities (SSF) for processing equipment and facilities but never materialized their plans even with approved budget.

 

As reported in GMA News , the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) intends to spend up to ₱700 million next year to help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) produce goods and make businesses competitive, , noting the amount was included in the proposed 2014 budget to cover the shared services facilities (SSF) program.

 

"Another proposed ₱700 million in DTI's budget for the SSFs next year," Trade Undersecretary for Regional Operations and Development Group Zenaida Maglaya told reporters at the Asian Development Bank's Second Inclusive Business Forum for the Philippines.

 

"We can have more than ₱700 depending on the value of the SSFs," Maglaya said, referring to the number of SSF programs.

 

This year, the department also allocated ₱700 million for program, but the Trade official noted a chunk of the money remains unused.

 

The balance, she said, will be used to fund other SSFs being proposed. "We have enough proposals," Maglaya added.

 

The DTI program aims to support MSMEs, particularly in the countryside, in producing goods and in competing with other businesses by setting up processing equipment in facilities of private sector partners which the MSMEs and cooperative can use.

 

More than 90 percent of registered businesses are MSMEs, and the department wants to help the enterprises which generate jobs and contribute to economic growth. 

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