MANILA, Philippines - Three yachts allegedly belonging to businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles, now regarded a high-profile fugitive, disappeared from the Manila Yacht Club, the Bureau of Immigration said Tuesday.
"I was informed that Mrs. Napoles has three yachts, parked at the Manila Yacht Club but according to the source wala na mga yacht niya dun," Bureau of Immigration officer-in-charge Siegfried Mison said in a press briefing.
The official cited information from a "confidential source" that the yachts have gone missing almost right after the Makati Trial Court issued a warrant of arrest against Napoles and her brother Jojo Lim for alleged illegal detention.
"We confirmed sabi ng source meron daw tatlo dun dati ('yung) ginagamit niya, hindi lang ako sure kung sa pangalan niya or ginamit niya, na wala na dun sa yacht club," Mison said.
Authorities of the neighboring countries have already been alerted to help locate Napoles, even though the bureau believes she and Lim are still in the country, Mison said.
"An alert order has been issued to the possible backdoor they might use to flee the country. They can use the Balot Island which is near General Santos City, about three hours away to Indonesia and Bonggao, Tawi-Tawi, which is near Malaysia," the Immigration official said.
"We have coordinated with Indonesian immigration at the Marore Island, which is near the Philippines. We alerted them by issuing information including pictures of Janet and Reynald," he added.
Moreover, authorities are closely guarding the country's ports particularly in those in the south where weather is more favorable to sea vessels, Mison said.
"Pinakamahirap magyacht sa North dahil sa weather so kung lahat biyahe yacht sa South kung di mamatay sa takot sa alon," he said.
He also said Napoles and those around her may consider Hong Kong, which is the closest to the country when traveling by sea.
"Puwede ba sa Hong Kong? But not during this weather. Not Habagat weather," Mison said, referring to the southwest monsoon that has constantly brought rains over the Northern and Central Luzon the past weeks.
Napoles and her brother have been accused of kidnapping supposed whistleblower Benhur Luy.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has said that Napoles along with some lawmakers will soon face a plunder case for the alleged misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Funds through fake non-government organizations and non-existent projects. - Camille Diola