MANILA — The Makati City Regional Trial Court on Monday expressed no opposition to the Sandiganbayan’s order to transfer detained businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles to Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.
The Makati RTC Branch 150 Judge Elmo Alameda is handling the serious illegal detention case, a non-bailable offense, filed against Napoles, the alleged mastermind in the P10-billion pork barrel scam.
In a three-page comment/compliance submitted before the first division of the Sandiganbayan, Alameda said the court “does not interpose any objection to the motion of the People of the Philippines through the Office of the Special Prosecutor for the transfer of the accused.”
”There is no conflict between the stand of the People and the position initially taken by the court when it ordered the detention of Napoles at the Makati City jail before her transfer to Fort Sto. Domingo in Laguna,” Alameda said in his comment.
According to Alameda, it should be stressed that the present location where accused Napoles is presently detained specifically at Fort. Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna was not the original place where she was ordered detained.
He said the court issued a commitment order on August 29 directing the detention of accused at Makati City jail.
Apart from the serious illegal detention case, Napoles is also facing plunder charges in connection with the alleged pork barrel scam together with high profile personalities involve in the pork barrel scam.
Meanwhile, DILG Secretary Manuel Roxas II said that the Philippine National Police (PNP) has communicated with the Regional Trial Court of Makati, which in turn issued a comment interposing no objection to the order of the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court.
He said the PNP and the BJMP will cause the transfer of Napoles to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Bicutan facility within the day.
”I have directed the PNP and BJMP involved in her transfer to coordinate and ensure the safety of Ms. Napoles while in transit from Fort Sto. Domingo in Santa Rosa, Laguna to the BJMP facility in Bicutan,” Roxas said in a statement.