THE Court of Appeals has overturned the judgment of the lower court on Janet Lim Napoles for illegal detention of her nephew Benhur Luy. This decision however, must be viewed as distinct and separate from the subsisting charges against her on the pork barrel anomaly. This is precisely why she remains incarcerated. What bears watching are public overtures of her lawyer regarding turning state witness? Anent to this is the proposition from her camp to be detained under conditions of “house arrest”?
There are under-currents developing which the public may not be totally aware of. Her present security environment may now be compromised by incumbent and “colored forces” anxious of what testimony she may blurt or expose in a quid-pro-quo for her “tell all”? If at all, as is the practice in legal cases, “compromise” is not a bad word to get to the real masterminds, a give-and-take to ferret out the truth and secure speedy justice is most welcome.
The people deserve it. There is, however, a question of what will be the tenor and substance of her judicial confession? Whether it will be a recording of previous sworn statements? Taken under duress by former Department of Justice officials at a time Napoles was requiring an immediate operation, as exchange for her precarious health? The current officials in this dispensation, is very much interested to get to the bottom of the biggest scam involving personalities in two branches of our government.
The malfeasance, aside from “pork barrel” also includes the DAP Funds generously released by Malacañang then to targeted legislators. The behind the scene discussions of those in the know speak of several tranches – to be exact, six – offered by Palace functionaries during the impeachment of the late Chief Justice Renato Corona? Who were the “bribe givers” borrowing from the privilege speech delivered by former Senator Jinggoy Estrada? As well, who were the recipients? To be fair, who came with “clean hands” in reaching a verdict in said case? This is most fitting, given the disdain of President Rodrigo Duterte on corruption in its various forms. (Erik Espina)