President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday downplayed the appointment of a former lawyer of alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles in his administration, saying it had little to do with recent developments of the case.
Lanee David, who represented Napoles in cases regarding her alleged involvement in the malversation of legislators' Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF), is currently deputy commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
Her husband Stephen David remains Napoles' counsel. The couple were staunch supporters of Duterte's presidential campaign and are also alumni of San Beda College.
"You know you must understand lawyering as we understand you whatever you publish and say. Trabaho lang po ‘yan. We have to earn our keep," Duterte said at a pre-departure press briefing in Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
"As a lawyer, when we accept a case, the only promise there is that we will do our best. But we will not corrupt the truth. That is the line that we have to be conscious of... Lawyering, ma’am, wala ‘yan," he added.
Duterte also addressed questions about whether Napoles could turn state witness, as indicated by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II.
"As to the question of whether or not she could be utilized as a state witness, there’s a law which says that one of the requirements at least she appears to be the least guilty. If you are a major player, I don’t know if you can do it," he said.
"It’s up to the judge. It is the judge, the prosecutor who would make the prayer by motion and the judge will decide. And marami kasi," he added.
"There is no other witness to prove your case, that’s one. Second is that the proposed witness must appear to be the least guilty. So if you are asking for an expanded explanation it’s just that she appears to be the minimal player not the major player in the commission of the crime."
Duterte, however, refused to answer if he thought Napoles was indeed the least guilty.
"It is pending in court. We lawyers are always advised never to comment because — lalo na ako President — I will be liable for contempt. And I might be arrested and I am busy now with my job, dispense money for the Filipinos. And I do not want to go to prison upon my return," he said.
Serious illegal detention
But Duterte did share his two cents on the decision of the Court of Appeals to acquit Napoles in the serious illegal detention case involving her former aide and relative Benhur Luy, who is also a witness in the pork barrel cases.
The court ruled that there was insufficient evidence that Napoles kept Luy detained against his will.
 |
| © Toto Lozano/PPD President Rodrigo Duterte interacts with members of the media in Malacañang on Monday, August 1, 2016, after administering the oath of office of the undersecretaries of the different government agencies. Toto Lozano/PPD |
"Maski ako talaga, as a former prosecutor, I cannot think of how a person could be a victim of being hostage when he had all the while all the opportunity to go out and never come back, and he was allowed to go home," he said.
"It was I think — no offense intended — sadya na ano, sadyang nagpa-preso. It’s because as you say, we were all spectators to the development and even the revelations with the nuns and in the apartment she was or he was… She or he? Or he? He was confined," he added.
"Kung gamitin ko ‘yung pagka-piskal ko hindi ko talaga i-file ‘yon. It’s crazy. In and out, in and out and several times he was left alone."
Duterte's position reflected that of Solicitor General Jose Calida, who made a manifestation in court supporting Napoles' position. —JST, GMA News
Mag-post ng isang Komento