Lorna also drops Janet plunder case

MANILA, Philippines - Alleged pork barrel scam brains Janet Lim-Napoles “is best served by people she can control,” according to lawyer Lorna Kapunan.

Saying she is not one of those people, Kapunan confirmed yesterday that she had resigned as counsel for all the cases against Napoles.

After meeting with Napoles in the latter’s detention facility at Fort Sto. Domingo in Laguna last Wednesday, Kapunan said she had also decided not to handle the defense in the plunder case pending with the Office of the Ombudsman as well as other cases filed against Napoles.

Napoles is facing separate plunder charges in the anti-graft office for the multibillion-peso Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam and the P900-million Malampaya Fund scam.

“Although there is no case yet on those (PDAF and Malampaya scams) because the charges are not yet in court. Napoles has not even been summoned by the Ombudsman as far as we know, so she doesn’t need a lawyer yet,” Kapunan clarified.

She said she would also most likely not accompany Napoles to the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing on Nov. 7 “as discussed by our firm.”

Kapunan said her client has another lawyer in the tax evasion charges filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue against her and husband Jaime before the Department of Justice.

“She (Napoles) is best served by people she can control. We are not that kind,” the lawyer said in explaining her decision.

“For our part, it is time for us to move on,” she added, saying her decision is final.

The lawyer again pointed out that her law firm does not accept clients who do not choose their lawyers as lead counsel in cases.

“She knows from the start when we accepted her case, we have to be lead counsel. That’s the policy of our law firm,” she stressed.

Kapunan revealed that Napoles was asked to choose between her and another defense lawyer, Alfredo Villamor, in the serious illegal detention case.

“This is her call,” Kapunan admitted, adding that her client has signed a formal approval of the withdrawal of representation to be submitted to the Makati City regional trial court next week.

Earlier, Kapunan announced her decision to withdraw as counsel of Napoles in the serious illegal detention case due to “difference in opinion” with Villamor, who has been lawyer of the Napoleses for several years.

“When clients have different lawyers who disagree amongst themselves, we cannot serve them well,” she stressed.

Kapunan said Napoles chose to approve the strategy taken by Villamor in the case.

Kapunan had wanted the defense to present evidence, which Villamor opposed because he wanted to expedite resolution of their motion to post bail to allow Napoles to visit the grave of her mother.