Luy tells court of signing for ‘farmer beneficiaries’

Prosecution witness Benhur Luy on Thursday testified that he and the children of businesswoman Janet Napoles "signed" on behalf of the supposed beneficiaries of the pork barrel fund of then Senator Juan Ponce Enrile.

Luy made the testimony during the trial on the 15 graft charges against Enrile, Napoles, Enrile’s former-chief-of staff Jessica “Gigi” Reyes, among others, involving alleged misuse and diversion of P172 million worth of discretionary funds of the senator to the businesswoman's organizations.

Luy was cross-examined by Marcelo Rempillo Jr., counsel of Napoles' children Jo Christine and James Christopher.

During the proceedings, Rempillo repeatedly asked Luy if he actually saw the Napoles children sign for the beneficiaries and how he became certain that they did.

“For Jo Christine, her participation is in the list of beneficiaries. I could no longer determine her signature, but she was part of faking the liquidation because I was present when she affixed her signature on the list of beneficiaries....faking the signature of the beneficiaries,” Luy said.

Asked to identify which of the 373 exhibits on the list of beneficiaries presented to court as evidence were signed by Jo Christine, Luy said Napoles' daughter had a hand in allegedly fabricating the signatures in all documents.

Luy, who served as the finance officer of JLN Corporation of Napoles, said several staff were present when the liquidation reports were prepared in their Pasig office.

“It was 2008 to 2009.... We prepare the liquidation reports within two to three months  since cheques are issued because the implementing agencies require us to submit liquidation reports,” he said.

Pressed if he was certain that he personally saw Jo Christine and James Christopher in the act of faking signatures Luy replied, “Yes. I was present in the conference room. It is a seven-seater, but we have additional monobloc chairs. Iikot ‘yan."

"Our practice is per municipality, ipapasok, then per lawmaker. We were instructed to sign in the list of beneficiaries. Mrs. Napoles was the one who told us to sign,” he said.

Rempillo asked Luy how he could be certain he saw Napoles' children signing when he was signing at the same time.

Luy replied, “Basta nakikita ko sila na pumipirma sila. Kasi umiikot ang list of beneficiaries. With the instruction of Mrs. Napoles, ang pag sign namin, left and right para magmukhang farmers. There were occasions na magkatabi kami, there were occasions at arms length, there were occasions across lang and opposite."

"But you cannot actually see Jo Christine and James Christopher because you are also busy at that time," Rempillo said.

Luy said, “Asking me now in particular, hindi ko na maalala. But before, kung magkatabi kami, kung ano iyong sunod ko, iyon ang sunod niya. Laktaw siya, laktaw rin ako."

He added that around 15 employees of JLN corporation, including himself and Napoles’ children, are taking turns in signing for the supposed Enrile PDAF beneficiaries.

The next hearing on the case is set on June 27.—LDF, GMA Integrated News