MANILA - A former bank manager who eventually became businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles’ auditor saw the names of the senators she transacted with, whistleblower Benhur Luy said.
Luy said Ma. Winnie Villanueva, the former branch manager of Metrobank at Magdalena in Binondo, Manila may be the key to analyzing the financial transactions of Napoles.
Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero said it was highly questionable that the banker who handled Napoles’ transactions would eventually be employed by her company.
Luy clarified, however, that Villanueva immediately resigned from Napoles’ company after seeing the names of lawmakers in their disbursement books. He said Villanueva and Napoles had a confrontation about it.
Escudero again asked the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to summon Villanueva. He said he has been seeking the committee’s nod for Villanueva’s presence since the hearing first started.
The whistleblowers again appeared before the Senate on Thursday, following a subpoena signed by Senator Franklin Drilon.
Luy further revealed how the scam worked, from their contacts at the Department of Budget and Management up to how the bogus nongovernment organizations were able to submit audit reports as part of the requirements of the implementing agencies of the legislators’ pork funds.
Tres Marias
Luy said he used to accompany Napoles to the office of Budget Undersecretary Mario Relampagos to hasten the release of the pork funds.
He said he met there the “Tres Marias” – known only as Leah, Malou and Lalaine – whom he contacts to follow up the lawmakers’ Special Allotment Release Orders (SAROs).
Asked if he has seen Relampagos or the Tres Marias receive money from Napoles, Luy said he has not. He said, however, that the "Tres Marias" went to their office for some events.
He also said Napoles gave the three “ladies bags” as Christmas gifts. He said he does not remember anymore what the brands were.
Escudero also questioned why the documents of Napoles’ NGOs have been notarized or liquidated considering that the whistleblowers have admitted to forging the signatures of lawmakers or coming up with names to complete company records.
Luy alleged in his affidavits those who notarized the documents as Mark Oliveros, Editha Talabuc, Raymund Tansit and Joshua Lapus.
In Oliveros’ case, he did notarize the documents but instead left a specimen of his signature, his dry seal and notarial book to Napoles, Luy alleged. He said Napoles is the “ninang (godmother)” of Oliveros.
Luy also gave the names of accountants Marlo dela Cruz and Susan Victorino, whose signatures were attached to the external audit reports that the Napoles NGOs needed to submit to the implementing agencies of the pork funds.
Luy said the external audit reports were part of the requirements cited in the Commission on Audit Circular 2007-001.
Escudero asked that the names be submitted to the Philippine Regulatory Commission and Office of the Bar Confidant to check their roles in the pork scam.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said these individuals are already currently being probed by the National Bureau of Investigation.