Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), a former lawyer of Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged mastermind of the multi-billion pork barrel scam.
Besides her cases of plunder, graft, corruption, and malversation of public funds, Napoles is also facing a tax evasion case filed by the BIR.
Atty. Lanee David on Saturday confirmed to CNN Philippines she is the new deputy commissioner for the BIR’s information technology division.
David and her husband Stephen are partners in the law firm that handled corruption and tax evasion cases against the Napoles family before the Sandiganbayan and Court of Tax Appeals.
Dismissing fears there might be conflict of interest in her appointment to the BIR, David said she is no longer part of the law firm.
“We are not the only partners sa (in the) law office… Pero ako, definitely out na (But I am definitely out already),” David said in a text message sent to CNN Philippines Saturday.
She added the law firm also decided not to handle any tax cases, including those against the Napoles family.
“It’s the office’s decision to withdraw from the BIR cases,” David said. “Iba naman ang Sandigan, hindi naman BIR cases ang involved dun (Sandiganbayan is different, BIR cases are not involved there).”
Napoles is facing plunder and graft charges before the Sandiganbayan for allegedly funneling money from the multi-billion peso Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) into bogus non-government organizations.
A number of lawmakers were tagged as beneficiaries of the scam, including Senators Bong Revilla, Jinggoy Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile. Revilla and Estrada are detained while Enrile was allowed by the Supreme Court to post bail because of his old age and frail health.
