WITH finality, the Sandiganbayan on Thursday junked the bail plea of alleged pork barrel scam mastermind, Janet Lim Napoles, for lack of merit.
In a March 2 resolution, the anti-graft court’s Third Division upheld its earlier decision to dismiss Napoles’ motion for reconsideration to allow her to post a bail for the plunder charge against her.
The motion for the reversal of the bail denial was “devoid of merit,” Presiding Justice and Third Division chairperson Amparo Cabotaje-Tang ruled.
“Accused Napoles has not raised any sound argument that would warrant a reverse of the Court’s Resolution promulgated on Oct. 16, 2015,” the recent decision read.
The resolution was concurred by Associate Justices Samuel Martires and Sarah Jane Fernandez.
In November 2015, Napoles challenged the court’s Oct. 16, 2015 bail denial, saying the court “erred” when it anchored its decision on the testimonies of whistleblower Benhur Luy and the other witnesses, who were all “polluted sources.”
“The testimonies relied upon by the Court are obviously self-serving… the whistleblowers have openly admitted to have forged and falsified documents to be utilized in the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam,” her plea read.
But the anti-graft court claimed otherwise, saying “these witnesses are the incorporators and officers of the non-government organizations involved in the scam. Hence, if there’s indeed plunder, these whistleblowers are the perpetrators thereof.”
“Testimonies of the whistleblowers should be taken with caution, there is no reason to reject their testimonies at this time, considering that same are consistent and appear to corroborate one another.”
The case at bar before the Third Division also accused Senator Juan Ponce Enrile of pocketing of P345 million in kickbacks from his pork barrel fund that went to some Napoles-linked foundations in 2007 to 2009.