Sandiganbayan seeks more time to resolve Napoles bail plea

MANILA, Philippines - The Sandiganbayan yesterday asked the Supreme Court (SC) for a 10-day extension to resolve the bail petition of alleged pork barrel fund scam brains Janet Lim-Napoles.

Magistrates of the anti-graft court’s Third Division, chaired by Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, said the 48-hour deadline to resolve such motion would not be enough.  

Ombudsman prosecutors and defense lawyers concluded the hearing on Napoles’ petition for bail on Monday in connection with the plunder case she is facing before the Sandiganbayan, along with Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile and his former chief of staff Jessica Reyes.

When the anti-graft court denied Enrile’s motion to fix bail, the 91-year-old senator elevated the issue to the SC, which eventually granted him bail.

Napoles, serving time at Camp Bagong Diwa jail in Bicutan, Taguig for illegally detaining whistle-blower Benhur Luy, is facing plunder and graft charges before different Sandiganbayan courts.

She was accused of masterminding a scheme where the pork barrel funds of legislators were channeled to her bogus non-government organizations, which implemented ghost projects.

Aside from Enrile, Sens. Ramon Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada were charged with plunder in connection with the pork barrel fund scam.

Former congressmen were also charged with plunder, graft and malversation of public funds for receiving kickbacks from Napoles amounting to millions of pesos.

The Sandiganbayan also asked the high court for a 10-day extension to resolve Revilla’s petition for bail, which was denied.

The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division has yet to conclude the hearing on Estrada’s bail plea.

Meanwhile, Napoles’ daughter Jeane remains confident she will be acquitted of the tax evasion case filed against her before the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA).

Her lawyer Lanee David said the CTA would eventually clear her client of the charges due to lack of evidence.

“After the pre-trial, we are prepared for the trial. We have a good case,” David told The STAR.

Jeane appeared before the CTA yesterday during the pre-trial on her tax evasion case. – With Robertzon Ramirez