By Ellen Tordesillas,VERA Files
Brian Raymund Yamsuan, consultant to Executive Secretary Paquito “Jojo” Ochoa, was ordered dismissed after he was mentioned as having brokered Napoles’ meeting with editors of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. The transcript of that meeting was published in a series from Aug. 11 to 14. Yamsuan’s name was mentioned twice.
Palace officials were also concerned over Yamsuan’s behavior, including receiving several millions of pesos from Napoles through a senator, sources said.
Assistant Secretary Jed Eva of the Office of the Executive Secretary confirmed the firing of Yamsuan. “Mr. Brian Yamsuan was hired as a consultant because of his experience and expertise in communications, but it was agreed that the engagement would be discontinued due to conflicts of interest with his other consultancies,” he said.
Eva stressed, “At no point during Mr. Yamsuan’s consultancy did he broach any of the issues concerning Ms. Napoles.”
In the Aug. 11 issue of PDI, Napoles told Inquirer columnist Solita “Winnie” Monsod that she asked Yamsuan if he knew people in Inquirer, which had been running stories of her multibillion-peso pork barrel scam operation based on the documents provided by her former associate Benhur Luy.
“Sabi ko kay Brian, may access ba para sa Inquirer (I asked Brian, Do you have access to the Inquirer)?” she said. Yamsuan’s wife, Cathy, is a PDI reporter covering the Senate.
Told about Yamsuan’s role in the Napoles interview with PDI, Aquino, according to Palace sources, asked Ochoa, “Is this true?”
When Ochoa told Yamsuan about the President’s concern, Yamsuan promised , “Aayusin ko ito (I’ll fix this).”
The brief mention of Yamsuan’s name, however, led to the discovery of his alleged indebtedness to Napoles due to his gambling.
Sources said Yamsuan, former assistant secretary for public affairs in the Department of Interior and Local Government and spokesman of then Secretary Ronaldo Puno, recently lost P5 million in a poker game at Resorts World Manila. Wanting to recover his loss, he supposedly borrowed more from casino financiers that same night but lost even bigger.
A source said Yamsuan found himself deeply in debt he had to sell his two units in Rockwell (depending on the type of unit, prices range from P10 million to P50 million) and some vehicles (two of his cars are a BMW X5 and a Toyota Sienna). Despite this, the source said, he was still short by several millions to fully pay his debts.
Threatened by casino loan sharks, Yamsuan sought the help of a senator who, in turn, called Napoles and told her, “Janet, tulungan natin si Brian (Janet, let’s help Brian).”
Napoles immediately delivered the money in cash, according to the sources.
VERA Files tried to get the side of Yamsuan and Napoles through texts and calls, but they didn’t reply. Detailed questions were sent through the text messages.
From PR to big league operator
Yamsuan had worked as media officer of then Sen. Edgardo Angara and later, Sen. Tessie Oreta.
He joined Malacañang’s Media Relations and Accreditation Office during the administration of President Joseph Estrada where he met then Press Secretary Ricardo “Dong” Puno. He helped in Puno’s failed senatorial bid but later on joined another Puno, Ronaldo, at the DILG during the Arroyo administration. He rose to become assistant secretary for public affairs and spokesman for the DILG secretary.
Yamsuan found himself jobless after the Arroyo administration. But not for long because through his friendship with lawyer Edward Serapio, forged during the Estrada administration, he was able to connect with Ochoa and obtain an appointment in early 2011.
Serapio did not respond to VERA Files’ request for a statement nor did he reply to text messages.
Serapio is a partner in MOST, a law office where Ochoa is also a founding partner. MOST stands for Marcos (Liza Marcos, wife of Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.), Ochoa, Serapio and Joseph Tan.
MOST had participated as collaborating counsel in the preliminary stage of the kidnapping case filed against Napoles by Luy.
In a July 12, 2013 memo to media clarifying its role in the Napoles controversy, MOST said Napoles asked them in April to collaborate with her lawyer, Alfredo L. Villamor, regarding a kidnapping case that she was allegedly involved in.
The memo said, “The firm’s written engagement with Ms. Napoles was limited only to handling the preliminary investigation stage. It was agreed that should the Department of Justice (DOJ) recommend the filing of the kidnapping case against Ms. Napoles and her brother, the firm would have to determine whether or not it would continue to represent her at the trial stage.’’
MOST further said, “Even before the DOJ issued its resolution dismissing the complaint, MOST withdrew from the kidnapping case.”
Napoles has gone into hiding after a warrant of arrest was issued against her last Aug. 15 in connection with the Luy kidnapping. She is the subject of a joint investigation by the Department of Justice, Ombudsman and the Commission on Audit in the alleged P10 billion misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund, also known as pork barrel.
Sources said Yamsuan’s links with Napoles go back to his DILG days where he wielded influence over local officials. He is rumored to be brokering pork barrel deals for Napoles with some senators.
A Malacañang source said not a few eyebrows were raised with the appointment of Yamsuan as consultant given his closeness with Puno and his position in the Arroyo administration.
But the source said Ochoa believed it was better to have Yamsuan on his side than for the latter to work with those who may want to undermine the Aquino administration. “He believes in the strategy of ‘keeping your friends close and your enemies closer,’” the source said.
(VERA Files is put out by veteran journalists taking a deeper look at current issues. Vera is Latin for “true.”)
But timing, malas na mga pagkakataon..Bakit pa kasi kumuha ng comsultant na isang hindi naman maganda ang record..Ang isang manunugal ay isang background na dapat mag-dalawang isip ang tatangap ng pwesto, lalo na ang ibibigay na katungkulan ay masyadong ma-inpluwensya..Dapat limitado at monitored ang iyan, at huwag bibigyan ng malawakang katungkulan o responsibilidad….Iyan ang hindi maganda kay Yamsuan, isang Tinik sa pagtutuwid ng Daan ng pangulong PNoy…Sa palagay ng karamihang nag-iisip hindi lang nag-iisa si Yamsuan, dahil bakit umabot ng Php 10-Bilyon ang halagang na “scam”, bago nag-kabukingan..Nagkataon lang na “kumanta” si Benhur Luy, pinsan din ni Jane Lim Napoles, at gustong rebalin sa pag-scam ang huling nabangit na pangalan.
Isa lang sa mga bubuwit na nanginginain sa tira-tirang ulam si Yamsuan. Ang gusto ng taongbayan alisin na sa hapag kainan ang masaganang pagkaing nilalantakan ng mga hayok at ganid na mga pulitiko at opisyal ng gobyerno.
why not fire also yamsuan’s boss?
lest anyone had forgotten, ochoa’s also centered in a controversy during the early part of noynoy’s term regarding his mansion.
i firmly believe COA’s report should have also covered up to end of 2012 and not only within the term of gloria arrovo. many among noynoy’s allies were remnants of the arroyo administration who amassed wealth with their association with JLN. they made alliance with the present leadership in order to shield themselves from being prosecuted should anomalies dating during their connection with the woman who used to call herself president be unearthed. notice each deafening silence.
expertise sa communication?
para sa ano? para saan?
communication with the pork barrel scammer?
batang bata pa ‘yang yamsuan na ‘yan when he was with ronaldo puno, the manipulator. kanino pa magmamana KUNDI sa kanyang dating amo’ng walang hinahabol kundi ‘yung meron siyang pakikinabangan?
ipupusta ko nang buhusan ng tubig para maligo ireng nasa likuran kong pakistani dine sa opis, ‘yang si ronaldo puno ay bilyon din ang naging pakinabang kay napoles!
#3 magno. why not fire also yamsuan’s boss?
Korek, bakit nga ba? alam nya na bulok si Yamsuan pinahirit pa nya! E di ganun din sya, malay ng madlang pipol kung ano ang serbisyo sa kanya ni Yamsuan!
OT: sosyalan muna.
hapi bertdey kay pareng cocoy.
bukas naman kay pareng joeseg who is peacefully watching over us.
Payag kayo posible bang gawing “state witness” si Napoles at Yamsuan laban sa mga heganteng nasa likod nila?
Gaano kaya ang aabutin ng mga magnanakaw na mambabatas ng bansa kung hindi nabunyag ang kasakiman ni Gng. Napoles? Bakit totoong napakadikit ni Ginoong Ochoa sa pangulo ng bansa? Naitatanong ko lamang naman.
“But the source said Ochoa believed it was better to have Yamsuan on his side than for the latter to work with those who may want to undermine the Aquino administration. “He believes in the strategy of ‘keeping your friends close and your enemies closer,’”
And you think many will believe that! It sounds lame. How can he undermine the Aquino administration? Does he have that capability to influence or undermine anybody? This guys used to work as some sort of a runner or operator for some secretary in the previous administrations. Come to think of it many in previous administration had hired him. For what purpose? Ochoa knows! as did those other names mentioned above. Ochoa needs to explain further why he hired that person! too close to the president and its not good.
Binay’s P200M ‘pork’ not covered by PDAF abolition – http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/08/26/13/binays-p200m-pork-not-covered-pdaf-abolition
Sabi daw ni Pnoy ay hindi kasali yung kay Binay. Ewan ko sa iyo Noynoy!
___
#9. olan, what services kaya as a consultant Ochoa needs (needed) from Yamsuan?
And Pnoy thinks that because he fired Yamsuan, Ochoa is beyond scrutiny of the pipol na? Nahihibang siya!
#8 Manachito, nabasa mo ba ang article ni Mang Alfie Lorenzo tungkol kay Billy Crawford & Luis Manzano. Na sabay silang naliligo at nagsasabunan pa. sanggang dikit sila like Ochoa & Pnoy. kung napanood mo ang D’ Buzz interview kay Billy kamontik nang aminin ang kulay ng kanyang dugo.
Assistant Secretary Jed Eva of the Office of the Executive Secretary confirmed the firing of Yamsuan. “Mr. Brian Yamsuan was hired as a consultant because of his experience and expertise in communications, but it was agreed that the engagement would be discontinued due to conflicts of interest with his other consultancies,” he said.
Also,
At a press conference, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said he didn’t even know Yamsuan was working as Ochoa’s consultant….
Hired as a consultant due to his communication expertise and the presidential spokesman doesn’t know he exists…communication… Spokesman…. They don’t know they work together in the palace with the big boys.. Are we missing something here?
Now they are going to investigate!! Question is… Will the prosecutors do their job right? Will the judges do their job right?…para sa napakahabang hustisyang inaasamasam… May GOD bless us all!
Mananagot ang mga bumaboy sa
pork barrel — PNoy
http://www.abante.com.ph/issue/aug2713/news04.htm
hayan ka na naman!
noynoy, tatlong taon ka na sa malakanyang. dami mo nang pananakot at banta sa mga katiwalian. meron ka na bang naipakulong na magnanakaw?
sabi mo hindi pupuwede sa iyo ang utak wangwang, ilan sa mga nakapaligid sa iyo ang lantaran ang kapalpakang ginawa, may PINATALSIK ka na ba? meron ba, ha?
“……Sa kahilingan naman na buwagin din ang President’s Social Fund (PSF), sinabi ni Lacierda na nakapaloob dito ang calamity fund kaya kung bubuwagin ito, kailangan din umanong buwagin ang bagyo at iba pang uri ng kalamidad.”
http://www.abante.com.ph/issue/aug2713/news04.htm
sarap dagukan ng gunggong na lacierda, ah!
napghahalata ang laging nagmamantika ang nguso.
Eto na naman tayo. People power this, people power that. Amando Doronilla thinks it may snowball to another regime change. Alex Magno even says this will be our own Tahrir Square.
What will it achieve? Do we expect to topple the government? Assuming we do, new elections will install most of the same names, like what happened in Cory’s time. Balik saya na naman.
How about asking the Congress to abolish pork? Really? You expect the pig to behave unpiggishly? Hahanap lang yan ng bagong pangalan, or bagong anyo.
If people really think they have the numbers, then they should work for a Constitutional amendment by way of people’s initiative. That will effect a ban on pork, not by the “representatives”, but by the people themselves. That is something that the pigs will not be able to repeal.
Nagawa na yan, although for more personal reasons. The prejudiced got a Constitutional amendment of the California constituion, twice, prohibiting gays from enjoying the same rights as straights. Of course, the courts struck down the constitutional amendment. But the fact is, it could, and has been done.
If we truly believe that we have the numbers, then let us put our money where our mouths are, and get the signatures. I am sure the young people can do that, all over the country.
An abolition is not really long-lasting because Congress can always change its mind – like next year, when the heat has died down. A people’s amendment, therefore, is a better deterrent from the rapacity of the pigs. Also, a people’s initiative is more in tune with the Constitution. All that street justice crap has proven to be just that – crap. Look at what booting out a duly elected Erap got us – a more rapacious leader, and strained interpretations of the law to justify her installation.
Tama na yang ingay. Get to work. Get those signatures.
#12. Yamsuan was appointed “consultant because of his experience and expertise in communications”,… pero spookperson Lacierda knows nothing about.
Ahahahayyy! So ano serbisyo talaga ni Yamsuan kay Ochoa?!
#15. Kailangan buwagin ang bagyo, baha at ibang kalamidad kung bubuwagin and calamity fund -Lacierda
Ang galing ni Lacierda, nagririgodon ang tuktok!
#16. atty SnV. If people really think they have the numbers, then they should work for a Constitutional amendment by way of people’s initiative. That will effect a ban on pork, not by the “representatives”, but by the people themselves. That is something that the pigs will not be able to repeal.
Aha, gusto ko toh! Pinakamagandang comment at most sensible sa lahat ng aking nabasa sa internet.
Lezzgo!
#16. This is something that should be pursued. I heard Harry Roque suggest this in one forum.
As far as investigating into the pork barrel scam, i dont understand why they just fired yamsuan since he could provide a wealth of information regarding napoles and all those public officials involved in the scam. Rather than firing him, he should likewise be included in the investigation. As far as ochoa is concerned, all i can say is he is the achilles heel of pnoy. Much the same way as FG was to former pres arroyo. He should not have been hired by pnoy at all.