Napoles arrives late, misses bail hearing at Sandigan
Janet Lim-Napoles. Mark Balmores/Pool
MANILA, Philippines—Alleged “pork” barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles failed to appear at her bail hearing on Friday even though the Sandiganbayan ordered her appearance.
She only arrived in the court around 12 noon, or minutes after the hearing.
Third division chair and Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang questioned Napoles’ counsel why she wasn’t present for the bail hearing.
Napoles’ lawyer Stephen David said they were not aware of the produce order, which Tang said was issued on Thursday.
David also said they already waived Napoles’ right to appear in the court. But Tang said the motion was superseded by the court’s produce order.
Associate Justice Samuel Martires said the warden at the Fort Sto. Domingo, where Napoles is detained, would be made to explain the delay.
“The jail warden needs to explain the delay why he must not be cited for contempt,” Martires said.
Napoles faces plunder and graft charges for allegedly masterminding the multi-billion racket of pillaging public funds to ghost projects for kickbacks.
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