MANILA, Philippines - Alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles, who is charged with a crime, has no right to demand anything, Sen. Francis Escudero said yesterday.
He said Napoles’ appeal for her to undergo surgery and confinement at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Global City is solely up to the judge to decide.
He said Napoles has no right to make any demands with all the special treatment that she has been receiving.
Escudero has been pushing for the transfer of Napoles, who is detained at Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, to a regular jail.
He said there is no reason to treat Napoles differently from any other person charged with a crime, especially since she refused to cooperate with the government by providing information on the pork barrel scam.
He added that government doctors have said that Napoles’ condition does not require confinement in a hospital.
“If we are going to do all of this for Napoles then we should provide the same thing to everyone else charged with a crime, regardless of whether they are rich or poor,†Escudero said in a radio interview.
He acknowledged that Napoles has a right to seek medical treatment but anyone else with the same situation should be accorded the same treatment.
He added that government doctors should always certify all of the findings presented by Napoles to support her pleas.