MANILA, Philippines - Citing security reasons, businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles on Monday morning asked that her arraignment scheduled for the afternoon be transferred to Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna where she is detained.
Napoles’ lawyer Lorna Kapunan filed at around 10:15 a.m. a 7-page urgent motion before the Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 150. The lawyer said they do not intend to delay the proceedings.
"The threats aganst Janet's life and security have now become even graver and more imminent due to the said filing before the Office of the Ombudsman of plunder and malversation charges. The DOJ, almost daily, talks to the media to give publicity to these charges. It is not farfetched to expect that multitude of powerful and high profile politicians and personalities would become better off if Janet is silenced," said the motion in part.
The motion also cited the almost 2-hour travel time from the police camp to Makati City.
"The long distance transfer certainly opens a viable window of opportunity for unscrupulous individuals to attack the vehicle carrying Janet en route to the Makati RTC courtroom," the motion read.
"At any point during the drive back to For Sto. Domingo, Janet can be ambushed and killed," the motion added.
Napoles, the center of controversy over the pork barrel scam involving lawmakers, is facing charges of serious illegal detention filed by her cousin turned whistleblower Benhur Luy.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Saturday gave assurance that they are ready to provide security for the arraignment of Napoles
The Makati police, tasked to secure the Makati City Hall building where the courtrooms are located, also expressed readiness.
Senior Superintendent Jose Erwin Villacorte, director of the Southern Police District, said proper security preparations have been laid down.
“We will field substantial number of policemen for her protection. We feel that she is very important for the pork barrel case,†Villacorte said.
The court allowed Napoles to be transferred custody to Fort Sto. Domingo, noting the threats on her life since she is considered the major player in the pork barrel scam.
Luy alleged that Napoles ordered him detained keep him from revealing details of the scam involving several legislators to siphon off money from their pork barrel funds through bogus non-government organizations.
The Department of Justice recommended the filing of charges of plunder against Napoles and several prominent legislators and officials, including senators Bong Revilla, Juan Ponce Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada, for allegedly conniving with several lawmakers in putting up fake non-government organizations to embezzle funds.
State prosecutor Christopher Garvida, on the other hand, assured the Makati court that they are ready to present witnesses against Napoles on the charges of illegal detention.
Napoles earlier sought bail, saying the evidence of guilt against her is weak.
Judge Elmo Alameda said there is a need to conduct a summary hearing on Napoles’ petition for bail to determine whether the evidence of guilt is strong or weak.
“Bail is not a matter of right. The motion requires a hearing which will determine whether the guilt is strong,†he said.
Kapunan, on the other hand, said Napoles will present her evidence and witnesses in the hearing on Friday.