Press Release
February 2, 2014

Tama na hearing, it's time for action!
Cayetano to PNoy: Weed out govt officials associated with Napoles

"Yung nagnakaw ng konti, yun ang nakukulong. Pero yung nagnakaw ng malaki, napo-promote pa sa gobyerno."

Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter "Companero" S. Cayetano is urging the Aquino administration to weed out the contacts of pork barrel queen Janet Lim Napoles who are still deeply entrenched in government, or risk being accused of mounting a feeble campaign against graft and corruption "So itong Tuwid na Daan bagama't naniniwala ako sa sincerity ng Pangulo, mukhang masusubukan talaga at mukhang mayroon pa ring mga corrupt sa gobyerno na under the radar lamang pero nabubuko na ngayon," Cayetano said in a radio interview.

One such personality earlier associated with Napoles who is still in government service is Manuel Jarmin, who is currently the acting director of the Livestock Development Council of the Department of Agriculture.

Cayetano said that according to pork barrel scam whistleblower Benhur Luy, he and Napoles were introduced to former National Agribusiness Corporation president Allan Javellana by Jarmin.

It was also discovered that Jarmin, apart from being listed as a nominee of an admitted Napoles partylist group Samahan ng mga Mangangalakal sa Ikauunlad ng Ekonomiya (SMILE) in 2007, is also an incorporator of Jimmy's Bar and Grill and Reserval 08, both corporations of Napoles's husband Jimmy.

"Kung totoo nga na yung nandiyan ay si Ms. Napoles pa ang naglagay, napaka-makapangyarihan pa nga niya. That's why ang tinanong ko nga sa COA, hindi ba si Benhur Luy mismo ang nagsabi, hindi lang naman noong 2007 at 2009, hindi lang 2004- 2005?" Cayetano asked.

"Pero 2011-2012 panahon na ng ating Aquino Administration ay nakakakuha pa rin sila ng project at iba't-ibang pinagkukunan ng pondo?"

He reiterated his call to file charges against all those involved not only in the pork barrel scam, but other corruption scandals as well to allay fears that congressional investigations into these anomalies are going nowhere.

"Hindi mo masisi ang tao, panay ingay pero wala namang masyadong nakukulong o 'yung nakukulong yung maliliit, yung malalaking isda nga dapat. Kumbaga sa mga mangingisda yung malalaki ang madaling mahuli, ito ang madaling makita eh pero baligtad, yung maliliit ang nahuhuli at nakukulong," Cayetano stressed.

He explained that until charges are filed and the "big fish" are thrown in jail, the public perception will remain: that government is powerless against corrupt public officials.

"Kapag nakawala o hindi nai-pakulong 'yung nagnakaw, ang tingin ng tao sa gobyerno iisa. Hindi mo basta mapapaliwanag na hindi taga-expose at taga-imbestiga lang kami, ang Ombudsman ang taga-hatol," Cayetano stated. "Hindi rin pwedeng sabihin ng Ombudsman na hindi kailangan maganda ang ebidensya galling sa DOJ o kahit COA. In other words there are no excuses and we have to get our acts together."

He added: "Tingnan po natin itong dalawang buwan na darating kasi dito mo 'yun makakasuhan. Kung matibay ang ebidensiya at kung yung sistema natin na kasama ang korte ay mag wo-work o kung magpi-fail nanaman 'to."

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