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Friday, March 29, 2024

Napoles case: Philippines first, US extradition later–Justice

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The cases in the Philippines that alleged pork-barrel-scam mastermind Janet Napoles is facing should first be resolved before the government allows her extradition to the United States, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Monday.

“We will have to evaluate that [request for Napoles’ extradition]… but it is quite unlikely because the Sandiganbayan has already acquired jurisdiction over her person,” Guevarra said at the sidelines of the Justice Department’s budget deliberations at the House of Representatives.

“So that is something that we have to deal with”•the fact that she is already under the jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan.” 

Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang had earlier said Napoles could not be sent to the US right away because all her cases here should be resolved first.

But her extradition while the cases were pending was an “option,” Guevarra said.

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“That is just an option available under the RP-US extradition treaty. I am not saying we are going to do it,” he said.

“It looks more likely that we have to terminate first the Sandiganbayan cases. Because it is already ongoing, it’s already on the trial stage.”

Guevarra said if the Philippines decides to extradite Napoles ahead of the termination of the cases, they would file a petition with a “competent Philippine court,” meaning the Sandiganbayan.

Nevertheless, Guevarra said the Justice department would wait for the termination of the cases rather than surrender her in the meantime. 

“I do not want to preempt any decision but in all likelihood, it will be something like that, let’s wait for the resolution of the Sandiganbayan,” Guevarra said.

Napoles and five family members have been indicted in the US for allegedly laundering some $20 million in public funds obtained through the pork barrel scam.

Napoles, her children Jo Christine, James Christopher and Jeane Catherine, her brother Reynaldo and his wife Ana Marie were indicted by a federal grand jury for the crime of conspiracy to commit money laundering, domestic money laundering and international money laundering.

Napoles, who is detained at the Camp Bagong Diwa detention center in Taguig City, is standing trial for plunder, graft and other cases before the Sandiganbayan.

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