Luy told sis: Ransom me from madam

MANILA, Philippines - Pork barrel whistle-blower Benhur Luy called his sister Anabelle Luy-Reario and asked her to rescue him from illegal detention, a month before National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents rescued him.

Reario revealed this yesterday in open court during the continuation of the bail hearing petition filed by businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles at the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150.

Luy had earlier lodged a complaint for serious illegal detention against his cousin Napoles before the Makati City court.

According to the testimony, Reynald Lim called Reario’s mother Gertrudes at around 9 p.m. on Feb. 20, asking why the older woman and Reario’s brother Arthur went to Napoles’ house in Magallanes Village, Makati City. Lim is Napoles’ brother.

After Gertrudes had talked to Lim, she talked to Benhur.

Reario said Benhur had asked his family “to ransom him from madam.” Reario said “madam” is Napoles.

Reario added that her brother told her that he was already feeling weak.

Reario said Reynald later threatened to kill Benhur when they went to meet him at the Napoles’ unit at the South Garden Pacific Plaza in Bonifacio Global City on Jan. 9.

During the meeting, Lim tried to force Benhur into admitting that he had entered into some transactions unknown to Napoles.

When Benhur kept on denying the accusation, Reario said she heard Lim threaten to kill her brother.

Reario said if Benhur would not admit having bank accounts unknown to Napoles, he would be handed to a certain “Attorney Villamor” to be sent to jail.

She told the court that she, her mother Gertrudes and father Arturo went to Manila from Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay after Benhur failed to come home for New Year.

She added that her family got worried after Benhur’s friend, Ma. Flor Villanueva, called her on Dec. 19, 2012 asking them to contact Benhur.

Villanueva said she saw Napoles’ nephew John Lim take Benhur’s two mobile phones and feared that Benhur was already being detained at Napoles’ office at the Discovery Suites condominium in Ortigas Center, Pasig.

Villanueva added that Benhur’s Lafayette condo unit at Eastwood in Quezon City was padlocked by Napoles.

Reario said her family met Benhur and Lim at a meeting arranged by Lim at Napoles’ South Garden unit at the Pacific Plaza condominium on Feb. 23.

In the meeting, Reario said Benhur managed to slip into her pants’ back pocket a letter asking that they join him in prayer and asked for Napoles’ forgiveness.

Reario said she interpreted Benhur’s letter as a message that he was being detained and wanted to be rescued.

Meanwhile, defense lawyer Alfredo Villamor grilled Reario on why she did not include the alleged threats by Lim in her affidavit on March 8, 2013.

Reario replied that she did not find the incident significant.

Villamor also asked Reario why she believes that her brother was illegally detained when Benhur did not mention it in his letter to her.

Reario said she believed her brother did not do so because he was in danger and it was unusual for him to write in that manner to his family.

Villamor then asked why the original letter was in the possession of lawyer Levito Baligod and not attached to the documents presented in court. Prosecutors told the court that the original letter will be presented when Benhur takes the witness stand on Oct. 25.