PORK barrel mastermind Janet Lim Napoles has asked the Sandiganbayan First Division to allow her to remain locked up at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.
Last Friday, Napoles was convicted for violating R.A. 7080, otherwise known as the plunder law, alongside Richard Cambe, the staff of former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla. They were sentenced to reclusion perpetua with perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
The court also ordered the transfer of Napoles from the BJMP to the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City while Cambe was ordered confined at the New Bilibid Prison in Sampaguita Road, Muntinlupa City.
Napoles filed a very urgent motion for reconsideration, telling the court that “there are special and compelling reasons” for her to remain under the jurisdiction of the BJMP.
Should she be transferred, Napoles said there are “grave threats to her life and security.”
“It must be stressed that during accused previous detention at the Correctional Institute for Women, she had already experienced these threats to her life and security,” the motion read.
Napoles added that her cases are considered high-profile due to the involvement of well-placed public officials, and the development of her entire cases will greatly affect her life and security.
Meanwhile, Napoles argued that her conviction has yet to attain finality, since the court’s judgment may still be modified. At the same time, Napoles said she can still file other “remedies” to challenge her conviction.
“Since the time prescribed for filing an appeal has not yet expired, it follows that the decision of this Honorable Court is not yet final,” the motion read.
While Napoles and Cambe were convicted, their co-accused Revilla was acquitted by the Sandiganbayan because the prosecution failed to establish beyond reasonable doubt that he received kickbacks from his priority development assistance fund (PDAF).
The former employees of Napoles all testified that Cambe and Napoles had conspired with each other so that they will benefit from the PDAF of Revilla with the endorsement of her fake non-government organizations. (Czarina Nicole O. Ong)
