Napoles’ ‘hidden’ wealth difficult, but not impossible to recover

Alleged pork barrel scam mastermind: businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles. PNP Photo

MANILA — A long and rough road awaits officials who would dare to recover the supposed hidden wealth of alleged pork barrel scam mastermind, Janet Lim Napoles.

Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) chairman Andres Bautista said, in an interview with ABS-CBN on Tuesday night, that reclaiming the stolen money of a private individual is extra challenging than that of a government official.

PCGG was earlier tasked to recover President Ferdinand Marcos’ ill-gotten wealth.

But in the past decades of battling with the snail-paced process of recovery, only a few significant strides were made.

Citing this, Bautista said running after Napoles’ wealth would mean more challenge as it would  take years-long legal battle.

“Kakasuhan yan iko-korte ang daming mga appeal maraming mga petitions for certiorari on every interlocutary order that will be issued by the courts,” Bautista said.

“Talagang matatagalan.”

(Cases will be filed; more appeals and etitions for certiorari on every interlocutary order that will be issued by the courts. It would really take a long time.)

He also added that the process will even be made longer as it could further be delayed by pleas and appeals from Napoles’ lawyers.

Bautista said that over 200 Marcos’ wealth cases are still held up in court which may mean that state prosecutors may not be able to focus solely on Napoles’ case.

Despite the arduous legal battle in the recovery of Napoles’ wealth, Bautista believes that it is not impossible to recover the supposed wealth of the alleged pork barrel queen.