MANILA, Philippines - Pork barrel scam whistleblower Benhur Luy defended Janet Lim-Napoles brother, Reynald Lim, and even resisted the agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) sent to rescue him from a condominium unit at the Pacific Plaza Tower in Bonifacio Global City last March 22.
Taking the witness stand at the Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 150, NBI Special Task Force executive officer Rodante Berou said that Lim had no bodyguard and Luy was not restrained when they arrived to rescue the whistleblower from South Garden Unit inside the Pacific Plaza Tower.
Berou also said that Luy looked surprised and even refused to go with their team.
"Ayokong sumama sa inyo. Wala namang ginagawang masama si Kuya Jojo," the agent quoted Luy as saying during the rescue.
Meanwhile, Judge Elmo Alameda did not allow the camp of Napoles to play before the court a footage recorded by a closed-circuit television camera at the condominium building.
Napoles' lawyer Lorna Kapunan told the court that the footage would prove that Luy was not being restrained or being held against his will at the condominium unit.
Alameda said the video could only be shown if it was properly authenticated.
Talking to reporters after the morning hearing, Kapunan said Luy is shown freely walking in the video footage and could have easily made his escape if he was really illegaly detained.
"He could have easily ran to the elevator," she said.
Napoles at the scene
Meanwhile, Berou told the court that their team failed to recognize Napoles when she arrived at the condominium building during their supposed rescue of Luy.
Berour said that a "tall lady" accompanied by three men, arrived at the condominium unit as they were arresting her Reynald "Jojo" Lim.
The agent told the court that the "tall lady" shouted expletives at the NBI agents and was shouting when she arrived: "Nasaan si Tata? Asan yan sin Benhur? Dapat nasa Magallanes 'yan. Mga walanghiya. Walang utang na loob."
The agent said that it was only later after they arrived at the NBI headquarters in Manila that the members of the Luy family told them that the tall woman was Napoles.
Under questioning by Kapunan, Berou admitted that they had a photocopy of the businesswoman's photo when they went to the condiminium building.
Berou also admitted that Napoles even approached him and asked if they had an arrest warrant for Lim, to which he said they don't need one as the crime was still ongoing and was justified as a warrantless arrest.
Kapunan then asked Berou why it took the NBI until March 22 to rescue Luy when his family requested for help on March 1.
Berou answered that it was only on March 22 that Lim had agreed to meet with Luy's relatives.
Berou also admitted that the complainants in the case - Arturo Luy (Benhur's father), Gertrudes (mother), Arthur (brother) and Anabelle Luy-Reario (sister) affixed to their complaint a list of houses and condominium units where Luy could have been allegedly hidden by Napoles and Lim.
He said that their team failed to check on the other locations aside from South Garden unit, which includes the 25th floor of the Discovery Suites in Ortigas, 63 San Isidro St. Ayala-Alabang Village in Muntinlupa, 9 Narra St. in Forbes Park, Makati, 52 Lapu Lapu St. Magallanes Village, and unit 118-b North Garden Pacific Plaza condominium.
The agent said that they became aware of Luy's location at the South Garden unit during a pre-operation briefing held by thier unit's head, Roland Argabioso.
Berou also admitted that he did not ask any of Luy's relatives who were present at the condominium unit during the rescue about the identity of the "tall woman."
The agent also admitted before the court that his team did not make any effort to validate the claim of Luy's family that he is being held against his will by Napoles and her brother.