Bong Revilla accused of accumulating biggest kickback worth P224 million

MANILA, Philippines - Nearly P746 million were allegedly accumulated by five lawmakers by plundering public funds through their transactions with businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles. 

This is according to the charges filed on Monday by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and private complainants against the legislators before the Office of the Ombudsman. 

Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. allegedly accumulated the biggest amount of kickbacks worth P224.51 million. He is followed by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada accused of amassing P183.79 million. 

Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile is third, allegedly accumulating P172.83 milion in pork barrel funds, followed by former representative and incumbent Masbate governor Rizalina Seachon-Lanete, who was said to have received P108.40 million from her dealimgs with Napoles.  

The fifth, former APEC patylist representative Edgar Valdez, is accused of plundering P56.087 million. 

According to the NBI, and private complainants composed of whistleblowers in the alleged pork barrel scam, the five lawmakers committed plunder "in conspiracy with Napoles" when each of them, in "a series of transactions," accumulated over P50 milion through accepting commissions from their own Priority Development Assistance Fund. 

Both Estrada and Revilla on Monday welcomed the filing of the complaints against them. 

In a statement, Estrada said he was ready to face all the accusations leveled against him since there was no anomaly in whatever form in the utilization of his Priority Development Assistant Fund (PDAF).

“Nais ko pong ipinaalam sa inyo na ako ay nakahandang harapin ang lahat ng mga bintang o paratang laban sa akin sapagkat ako po ay walang kinalaman sa anumang kamalian o katiwalian sa paggamit ng PDAF allocations sa Senado,” Estrada said.

Revilla, through his lawyer, said that he can now confront the allegations being leveled against him and to present his side in court. “We welcome the NBI’s filing of the complaint with the Ombudsmna because we can finally confront the allegations being leveled against Senator Revilla and present his side,”  Atty. Joel Bodegon said for Revilla.

Estrada said he would confront the allegations in court truthfully. “I trust that the day will come, after the presentation of all documents and evidence in connection with the PDAF controversy, that it will be clear to all, that the accusations against me are all unfounded."

SOURCE: www.interaksyon.com