Agreement with Janet? Palace mum

MANILA, Philippines -  Malacañang yesterday laughed off perceptions that the Duterte administration is now protecting accused pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles after the solicitor general recommended her acquittal on the crime of serious illegal detention.

“Seriously? I doubt that. Thank you, next question,” presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella replied when asked about the reported deal during an interview with radio station dzRB.

The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) has recommended to the Court of Appeals the acquittal of Napoles for serious illegal detention of her second cousin, pork barrel scam whistle-blower Benhur Luy.

Administration officials said Napoles could be used as a state witness against “bigger personalities” in the scam. They did not elaborate.

The OSG’s move raised suspicions that the government has struck a deal with Napoles, who has tagged certain officials of the Aquino administration and several politicians in the alleged diversion of congressional funds to fictitious projects and nongovernment organizations.

In 2015, the Makati regional trial court sentenced Napoles to life in prison for serious illegal detention.

The OSG, however, believes the court erred in convicting Napoles.

Solicitor General Jose Calida said there were “glaring instances” that would support Napoles’ acquittal. He said Luy was not restrained at a retreat house and even met with his family three times.

Abella would not comment on insinuations that the Duterte administration has entered into an agreement with Napoles.

“I don’t know, I am not privy to those matters. If there were such talks, we do not know about that,” he said. “But definitely the Solgen (solicitor general) viewed these matters and that’s what he decided on.”

Officials previously claimed Calida was not acting as a lawyer for Napoles when he made the recommendation to the Court of Appeals.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo had also claimed President Duterte did not have a hand in Calida’s move. He said the administration would comply with the law regardless of who are involved.

Officials also believed that a reversal of Napoles’ conviction would not affect her plunder cases.