Drilon: I am not in Napoles list

MANILA - Senate President Franklin Drilon is certain he is not in the so-called Napoles list. Drilon pointed out whistle-blower Benhur Luy himself said Drilon declined the offer to transact with Janet Napoles. He also refused to dignify allegations made by Whistleblower Association president Sandra Cam that he tried to prevent her from revealing her copy of the list. Drilon said he is in favor of disclosing the Napoles list but he wants to give the justice department more time to validate it. He said President Aquino will not stop Justice Secretary Leila de Lima from testifying if the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee reopens its probe on the pork scam. "Any person can be subpoenaed but we give due respect to the Secretary of Justice and other members of the Cabinet. She has asked for more time to validate the list, so that is where we stand." Drilon also disputed former senator Panfilo Lacson's comment that the Senate might collapse if the Napoles documents are released to the public. He said the Senate will be strengthened once the process of "cleansing is over." "Politicians come and go but the institution stays." "I am sure once this process is finished, once the guilty are punished and the innocents are cleared, the institution will remain stronger than what it was before." MORNINGS@ANC, MAY 12, 2014