Press Release
October 30, 2013

Transcript of Interview of SP Franklin Drilon

Q: Sir, yung sa ano muna, yung sa lumabas sa Inquirer, yung tungkol po kay LWUA chair Rene Villa, were you aware na he lawyered once for Napoles before?

SPFMD: Ah no, I was not aware of that he was a lawyer once for Napoles. Yun nga, sabi niya he lawyered for Napoles when he was out of government. Ngayon naman, he was a practicing lawyer when he was out of government, he exercised his own independent (incoherent). As to who he will take in as a client, I had nothing to do with that. I admit that Chairman Villa is my political ally, but what has that got to do with the issue at hand? Obviously, they are trying to link me again to Janet Napoles. The issue at hand is the alleged misuse of PDAF funds by some senators and congressmen. Obviously, there is an effort on the part of a well-funded demolition campaign to link me and Napoles herself and Rene. This is a useless waste of PR funds because the records show that I haven't made any project funded out of my PDAF allocation to be executed by any Napoles NGO. I can account for every peso in my PDAF allocation. In fact, I released it to the media how I allocated my PDAF for the last three years. But apparently this was ignored, so I wish the media would take a second look on the press release that I made accounting for every single peso of my PDAF.

Q: Sir ano po yung position ni Rene Villa sa Liberal Party?

SPFMD: He is a considered as a person of national stature. He has no specific position. He is not an officer of the Liberal party.

Q: Sir, may nabanggit po kayo kanina na PR fund, magkano ho yung amount na involved? Saan ho nanggaling yung pondo?

SPFMD: Kung saan nanggaling and pondo, I will not speculate, I have information. Kung magkano, hindi ko alam, but I understand that it is well-funded. Ito'y kasama na sa demotion ng buong administration.This is a demolition job from political opponents.

Q: But sir why do you think you in particular are being targeted?

SPFMD: Alam mo naman ako. This is a part of a demolition job. For example, yung mga totally baseless cases filed by Syjuco. Ay talagang these are absolutely baseless, and yet taking advantage of media exposure, yun ginagawa nila yun. So talagang kasama ito sa demolition job.

Q: Sir sa tingin niyo ba naapektohan nito ang LP, itong particular issue kay Villa?

SPFMD: Ay hindi maapektuhan. Dahil ang issue dito, ang hindi tama na paggamit ng PDAF funds by some senators and congressmen. Si Rene Villa, inamin niya na abogado siya nung siya'y nasa labas ng gobyerno.At hindi poi to makakaapekto sa partido.

Q: So the LP does not see any reason to discuss this issue.

SPFMD: No.

Q: Sir, do you have any concern na gamitin yan para sabihin na tumanggap ng campaign donations from Napoles ang LP last election?

SPFMD: In any demolition job, anything is possible. But the point is, wala pong natanggap ang partido nuong nakaraang eleksyon. Yan pong mga campaign contributions ay nakareport sa Comelec.

Q: So there is no necessity na magmeet ang LP para idiscuss itong admission ni Villa na nagserve siya as lawyer of Napoles?

SPFMD: Wala, sa dahilan na nagging abogado siya ng mga Napoles nung wala pa siya sa gobyerno. Siya po ay isang abugado, he has his own decisions as to who he will pick as a client. We have nothing to do with that. Not the party, not myself. He is a lawyer, and he was practicing his profession.

Q: Sir just for the record, si Villa po ba yung nagintroduce sa inyo kay Napoles?

SPFMD: Just for the record, hindi.

Q: Sir ibang issue naman, ano po yung reaksyon niyo, nagresign na daw po si Atty. Lorna Kapunan as the lawyer of Napoles. So far confirmed pa lang po yung sa illegal detention but we have sources saying na pati na rin daw dun sa plunder case.

SPFMD: Hindi na siguro ako magcocomment diyan. Wala po kaming masabi diyan, that is a private matter.

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