Napoles lawyer on ‘missing’ client: Lacson did hide, too
Lorna Kapunan. PHOTO FROM HER FACEBOOK ACCOUNT
MANILA, Philippines—Legal counsel Lorna Kapunan on Thursday said her client Janet Lim-Napoles’ decision to go into hiding is human nature, saying even Senator Panfilo Lacson had done it.
“I think it is human nature that when you have a warrant of arrest and you are in a state of confusion, you go into hiding,” Kapunan said in an interview with Radyo Inquirer 990AM.
She said Napoles should not be blamed because of the “suspicious way it was done.”
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“If it were me and [Secretary De Lima] will tell me that ‘we will treat you fairly’ then the very next day there is a warrant of arrest under suspicious circumstances, will you surrender?” Napoles’ counsel said.
Kapunan even cited the case of Lacson who fled the country in 2010 in relation to the Dacer-Corbit double murder case.
“For instance Senator Lacson, when the DOJ issued a warrant of arrest he went into hiding because he felt it was unfair. And he got vindicated later by the Supreme Court who said there was no basis…,” Kapunan pointed out.
Kapunan, however, said that Napoles was still in the country and that they woul also have to find a way to reach her and decide on their next move.
The lawyer maintained that Napoles is innocent, especially pertaining to the case of serious illegal detention of whistleblower Benhur Luy.
On Wednesday, the Makati regional trial court released the arrest warrants for Napoles and her brother Reynald “Jojo” Lim for allegedly kidnapping and detaining Luy. The National Bureau of Investigation’s rescue of Luy from Napoles’ Taguig condo on March 22 led to various revelations on the P10 billion pork barrel scam.
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