Manila: There will not be enough prisons to house 120 Filipino senators and congressmen if they are convicted of alleged misuse of their respective development funds, sources have said.

The alleged linchpin of the scheme to siphon government funds, businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles, submitted a 32-page affidavit to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee late on Monday, in which she expanded her list of 11 former and current senators to 20, and named 100 congressmen who allegedly misused their Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF).

The Philippine National Police has been rushing the refurbishment of “just a portion” of a three-building prison complex, the Custodial Service Unit that could house 100 prisoners. Because it houses other high-profile detainees, only 80 more cells are available.

“That would not be enough for the present list of possible high-profile possible prisoners who misused their development funds. They represent 80 per cent of our senators and 50 per cent of our congressmen. More prisons must be built for them in preparation for their conviction,” said observer Alfred Crespo, a non-Catholic Christian pastor.

The lawmakers allegedly approved the release of the government assistance funds to non-existent projects, through non functioning non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that Napoles had established for the scam.

The senators would keep 50 per cent of the money released for themselves, Napoles alleges.

The updated list includes 12 current senators: Alan Peter Cayetano, Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, Francis Escudero, Gregorio Honasan, Lito Lapid, Loren Legarda, Ferdinand Marcos junior, Aquilino Pimentel III, Vicente Sotto III, Cynthia Villar, and Ramon Revilla Jr. Also in the list were eight former senators: Robert Barbers, Rodolfo Biazon, Loi Ejercito Estrada, Robert Jaworski, Ramon Magsaysay junior, Tessie Aquino Oreta, Aquilino Pimentel junior and Manuel Villar junior

The comprehensive list submitted by Napoles includes the names of the “agents” who dealt with her on behalf of senators and congressmen who allegedly took part in the scam.

Anatomy of graft

The chiefs of staff of the erring lawmakers received five per cent of the fund; Napoles, 35 per cent, and the rest would go to other officials who facilitated the release of the allocated funds, sources said.

Each of the country’s 24 senators has an allocation of P200 million (Dh17 million) in development funds a year, while every one of the more than 200 congressmen has a P75 million annual development fund allocation.

Addressing the lawmakers and explaining her participation in the scam, Napoles said in her affidavit, “I am not the mastermind of the pork barrel scam because I didn’t start this; this has long been a practice or system. I am not the most guilty in this cam. The truth hurts … but the truth will set you free.”

She blamed current Budget Secretary Florencio Abad as the one who taught her. She started operating for Abad, Napoles said, when he was a congressman representing Batanes at the House of Representatives.

She also mentioned Proceso Alcala, now agriculture secretary as her other “mentor”. He was the one who signed and approved the accreditation of an NGO allowed to undertake development projects for poor people.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary Allan Umali would sign the memoranda of agreement (between the line cabinet and the NGO that would implement the project), as well as checks (of released development funds) before these are transferred to the regional field units and local governments, Napoles explained.

Aquino impatient

Meanwhile, President Benigno Aquino refused to fire his allies who were on the list of allegedly corrupt officials.

Saying that he would not act on mere hearsay, Aquino said, “I need to see the evidence (against my appointed officials).”

He categorically defended Secretaries Abad and Alcala, adding he still trusts them.

Expressing his impatience at the prospect of a long investigation process for alleged erring lawmakers, Aquino said, “If the list gets longer and longer, and the number of people to be investigated increases, the investigation (of corrupt officials) might not end until the end of my term.”

“There is a possibility that Napoles just wants to muddle the real story,” Aquino added. “Before, the people hated Mrs Napoles. Now, whatever she says seems right. How did that happen?” he asked.

The justice department has filed plunder and graft complaints only against Enrile, Estrada and Revilla. The cases were elevated to the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court. The opposition senators said they were being politically targeted.

Meanwhile, the Senate Blue Ribbon committee has scheduled to receive a list from Benhur Luy, Napoles’ employee and relative, which allegedly names 25 errant senators and 138 congressmen.

Napoles is currently being held in custody for allegedly illegally detaining Luy, who filed a report against her. Luy and several of Napoles’ employees said she was the mastermind of the pork barrel scam.

It is not yet known why they never said that Napoles was following a blueprint to cheat the government, based on a master plan of higher officials.

Earlier, Senator Miriam Santiago said that Sen. Enrile was also a mastermind of the scam.