Lawyer hopeful other courts give nod to Napoles bail bid

Alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles (center) is escorted by Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel out of the courtroom after her arraignment for plunder charges on Thursday (June 26, 2014) at the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City. (PNA photos by Gil S. Calinga)

MANILA — The counsel of Janet Lim Napoles, the alleged queen of pork barrel scam, on Saturday said that they hope that their petition to post bail will be granted by either the Third or Fifth Division of the Sandiganbayan.

Atty. Steve David said that they too intend to file motion for reconsideration after their petition to post bail before the First Division was denied although he admitted that he suspected that it would not be granted.

“We are hopeful that either of the two courts of Sandiganbayan will look deeper to our contention and our motion for bail will be granted,” David told reporters during the weekly, Saturday Forum @ Annabel’s in Quezon City.

Napoles is also facing plunder and graft raps before Third and Fifth Division of Sandiganbayan.

The anti-graft court junked the bail request of Napoles, together with that of detained Senator Bong Revilla and his political officer, Richard Cambe.

He said that they have no new arguments and will just use the same they used in the First Division expecting that their arguments will be given weight this time.

Meanwhile, Revilla denounced the alleged continued persecution that the lawmaker is being subjected to following the denial of his petition for bail.

Raymond Fortun, Revilla’s counsel and spokesperson said the government prosecutors pronouncement that it will now push for the transfer of the accused to a regular jail and pursue garnishment of his assets is “baseless.”

Fortun insists that his client is still “presumed innocent until proven guilty” as they were given assurance by the Philippine National Police custodial center of the safety and security of the senator.

Revilla’s petition for bail was denied last Tuesday but he is expected to appeal the anti-graft court’s decision through a motion for reconsideration.