The government is not trying to protect suspected “pork barrel” fund scam mastermind businesswoman Janet L. Napoles despite a recent intervention seeking her acquittal in another case, a Palace official said yesterday.
“Seriously? I doubt that,” presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said over government radio when asked if the government was now protecting Napoles.
Abella, however, admitted that he was unaware if a deal has been reached with Napoles in exchange for her acquittal of illegal detention charges.
Napoles, who appealed her conviction for illegally detaining pork barrel fund scam witness and relative Benhur Luy, is also facing criminal charges for alleged involvement in the misuse of public funds.
“I don’t know, I am not privy to those matters pero kung may usap-usapan sila, hindi natin alam iyan,” Abella said when asked about the government’s suspected deal with Napoles. “But definitely the SolGen viewed these matters and that’s what he decided on,” he added. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)
