MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE) - The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has launched a bureau-wide manhunt operation for Janet Lim-Napoles and her brother Reynald "Jojo" Lim on Thursday.
The manhunt was launched after Napoles and Lim were not found Thursday night in their residential properties in Muntinlupa, Ayala, Pasig, Makati and Taguig, NBI spokesperson Cecilio Zamora said in a television interview.
NBI director Nonnatus Rojas said that the four teams of investigators thus failed to serve the warrant of arrest issued Wednesday night.
The Makati Regional Trial Court ordered the arrest of Napoles, allegedly behind the multi-billion peso scam involving lawmakers' Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel, and Lim for alleged illegal detention and kidnapping of purported scam whistleblower Benhur Luy in December 2012.
"They are very elusive," Rojas said in a separate television interview.
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Rojas added that authorities are confident the suspects have not yet fled the country as international gateways have earlier been alerted of the warrant.
Moreover, the siblings can be arrested on the spot at exit points once they attempt to leave as they cannot also post bail, he said.
Rojas urged the public to report Napoles and Lim's whereabouts through the landline (524-1141) or mobile (0917- 5838612).
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said in a radio interview that someone might have tipped the "well connected" Napoles about the warrant.
De Lima also said Napoles' coddlers will be charged for harboring fugitives and obstruction of justice.