Janet Napoles’ relatives plead not guilty in Malampaya fund scam

MANILA, Philippines — Relatives of convicted businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles yesterday maintained their innocence in the P900-million Malampaya fund scam.

Appearing before the Sandiganbayan Third Division, Napoles’ children Jo Christine and James Christopher as well as her brothers Reynaldo Lim and Ronald Francisco Lim pleaded not guilty to 97 counts of graft and 97 counts of the complex crime of malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents.

The court set the pre-trial of their cases on April 22, during which the prosecution and the defense are expected to submit their respective lists of witnesses and documentary exhibits that they intend to present during the trial proper.

Meanwhile, Napoles was not arraigned as the Supreme Court (SC) has yet to release a formal authorization letter for her to attend court proceedings following her commitment to the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City.

Napoles was transferred to CIW from Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig following her conviction for plunder in connection with the pork barrel scam.

Third Division clerk of court Dennis Pulma had earlier explained that a prisoner committed to a national penitentiary following his or her conviction may not be transported outside without express authority from the SC.

In a chance interview with reporters last week, Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin said the SC has already granted the request of the Sandiganbayan to allow Napoles to leave the CIW during the hearings of her cases at the Sandigabayan in Quezon City.

As of yesterday, however, the anti-graft court has yet to receive formal authorization from the SC.

Meanwhile, the Third Division has deferred the arraignment of the primary accused in the Malampaya cases, former budget secretary and incumbent Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr.

Andaya’s arraignment was deferred as the court has yet to resolve his motion to quash the cases, which he filed on Jan. 15.

Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in December 2017, the cases stemmed from the alleged misuse of P900 million worth of government income from the Malampaya natural gas project intended for farmers affected by Tropical Storm Ondoy and Typhoon Pepeng which hit the country in late 2009.

Napoles, her children and her brothers are accused of conspiring with Andaya and several other former government officials in allegedly funneling the P900-million fund to her bogus non-government organizations for supposed livelihood projects which turned out to be “ghosts” or were never implemented.

The ombudsman said Andaya approved the release of the fund by signing a Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) and a Notice of Cash Allocation (NCA) despite the absence of clear basis and supporting documents.

The other accused in the cases – former agrarian reform secretary and incumbent Masiu, Lanao del Sur Mayor Nasser Pangandaman Jr., former agrarian reform undersecretary Narciso Nieto, former agrarian reform director Teresita Panlilio and former agrarian reform chief accountant Angelita Cacananta – were arraigned last month, during which they pleaded “not guilty.”