Napoles transfer to Laguna delayed
Businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles is not yet moving from the Makati City Jail to the Special Action Force (SAF) training school at Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
nte io and ocal ov e n ent ec eta a o as, ho inspected the facilit at o t to o ingo este da , said apoles ould be t ansfe ed as soon as secu it enhance ents to the bungalo he e she ould be de tained a e installed
he bungalo has t o bed oo s, a itchen, ate tan , t o bath oo s, and a steel ain gate t is cu entl being used as an office and edical clinic b the
o as said a ong the secu it enhance ents a e closed ci cuit television ca e as to be in stalled inside and at the pe i ete of the bungalo e said secu it g ills ould also be added to the in do s
cept for a refrigerator, where she can keep her medicine, Napoles would not be allowed to keep other appliances in the bungalow, which has no air conditioner. he is also denied access to a mobile phone.
The bungalow was where former President and now anila ayor oseph strada, oro National iberation ront chairman Nur isuari and enator Gregorio onasan had been detained.
o as said the security layout at ort to. omingo could better ensure Napoles’ protection compared to the akati City ail.
e said two perimeter gates secure the bungalow and some A personnel would guard Napoles.
“There will be A personnel and there is no other detainee here,” o as said.
“We will add more personnel. Whatever is the security package at akati City ail, we will bring them here,” he added.
o as said family members, lawyers and doctors of Napoles could only visit her at ort to. omingo.
Not taking chances
o as said the government is not giving Napoles any special treatment.
e said the government is just not taking chances, considering the public outrage amid allegations that she was the operator of the P -billion congressional pork barrel scam.
“The preservation of her life is not because she is a IP but we want her to face the judicial process,” he said.
o as said ort to. omingo also has sufficient medical personnel to aid Napoles in a medical emergency.
Nothing wrong
alaca ang also defended the participation of Cabinet officials in Napoles’ transfer to police custody.
eputy presidential spokesperson Abigail alte said it was not the first time Cabinet members were asked to handle such tasks, adding that the government was merely ensuring the safety of Napoles.
“It is clear to us that this person is a key player from all accounts in this P A priority development assistance fund scam. It is also easy to surmise why she is facing threats to her life,” alte told radio dzRB.
“The government wants to ensure that this woman would be reached by the arms of the law because she surrendered and the process should start,” she added.
Asked why o as was tapped to inspect the room at ort to. omingo where Napoles will be detained, alte said, “President Aquino personally issued an instruction to ecretary o as and PNP Philippine National Police chief irector General Alan Purisima.”
“The two officials are just making sure that they are carrying out the President’s instructions,” she said.
he cited the e plosions in erendra, an uan, and Cagayan de ro and natural calamities, when certain Cabinet officials were also ordered to be in control.
alte also justified the presence of the President’s communication team presidential spokesman dwin acierda, Presidential Communications evelopment and trategic Planning ecretary icky Carandang and herself during the transfer of Napoles to akati City ail last Thursday.
“We were there to handle media concerns,” she said. “ ecretary o as asked us to assist him and we did not hesitate. We assist any Cabinet member who asks for our help.”
alte said the communication team members were also on site during the uneta hostage crisis and the Ayala bus e plosion.
Key officials were also present when Napoles surrendered to Aquino last Wednesday. They were acierda, Carandang, alte, o as, ecutive ecretary Paquito choa r., ecretary to the Cabinet ene Almendras and Communication ndersecretary anolo ue on.
Protesters welcome
eanwhile, o as said protesters are welcome at ort to. omingo, but they would only be allowed at the camp’s first perimeter gate.
“We welcome them. Protest marches are in the center of our democracy. There is nothing wrong with that,” he said.
embers of the olunteers Against Crime and Corruption ACC staged a picket at the akati City ail yesterday to denounce what they described as the “royal treatment” Napoles is getting from the government.
The ACC also called on Congress to repeal Presidential ecree , which grants “immunity from prosecution to givers of bribes and other gifts and to their accomplices in bribery against public offi
“A briber can be e empted from prosecution and can go scot- free if he willingly testifies against the public officials who receive the bribe under certain conditions as in the case of senators and congressmen using the cloak of P . e may tell on his partners in crime and be e empted from prosecution and possible conviction,” the ACC said in a statement.
ACC chairman ante imene said the alleged special treatment being given to Napoles is a “mockery of justice.”
A number of Negros ccidental officials hailed the surrender of Napoles, and e pressed hope that the truth about the pork barrel scam would come out.
ourth district ep. effrey errer said the long arm of the law would eventually catch up with wrongdoers and it is better for Napoles to face her accusers.
Third district ep. Alfredo enite said the truth should come out also to reform the system aside from punishing those found guilty.
“Napoles surrendered on the charge of serious illegal detention. What the ilipino people would like to see is the government taking her to court for plunder,” Negros ccidental ice Gov. ugenio ose acson said.