MANILA, (PNA) — A Palace official denied Sunday Justice Sec. Leila de Lima was taken “out of the loop” during the negotiations for the surrender of Janet Lim Napoles last week.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte also said De Lima has the trust and confidence of Pres. Benigno Aquino III.
“Wala ho tayong problema sa trust and confidence kay Secretary de Lima,” Valte said in an interview over state-run Radyo ng Bayan.
Several Palace critics had been questioning Pres. Aquino’s move of escorting Janet Lim Napoles to the Philippine National Police headquarters instead of bringing her to the National Bureau of Investigation– an agency under the DOJ–which has been building a case against her in connection to the P10 billion pork barrel scam.
On Wednesday night, Napoles surrendered to Pres. Aquino saying she did not trust the NBI. She was met by several members of the Malacanang communications group at Heritage Park, a cemetery in Taguig.
“The secretary of justice was apprised also of the developments at sinabi din naman ‘yun ni Secretary de Lima,” she said.
Valte said Pres. Aquino revealed charges are being prepared against two unnamed NBI officials who allegedly have ties to two senators implicated in the misuse of the pork barrel fund.
These two officials allegedly tipped off the issuance of a warrant of arrest against Napoles and her brother Reynald Lim two weeks ago. The two went into hiding even before their warrants of arrest could be issued.
“Sinabi ng pangulo ang mga circumstances last Wednesday at siguro hintayin natin filing of charges. ‘Wag natin preempt,” she said.