Napoles wants transfer to women’s jail deferred pending appeal

Convicted pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles has asked the Sandiganbayan not to order her immediate transfer to the Correctional Institution for Women, arguing that she should be allowed to appeal her plunder case first.

In a three-page motion for reconsideration, Napoles said the Dec. 7 verdict — which led to the acquittal of Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., the former senator whose pork barrel funds she was found guilty of pocketing — was “not yet final.”

Hours after she was sentenced, the court issued a separate order for the issuance of a commitment order for Napoles to begin serving her maximum sentence of 40 years in the Mandaluyong City penitentiary.

Napoles’ lawyers informed the court of their intent to appeal her conviction within the 15-day period provided by the Rule 120 of the Rules of Court. —Vince F. Nonato