Palace: Cases will be pursued, no special treatment for Napoles

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang gave assurances Thursday the serious illegal detention case and other charges against Janet Lim-Napoles would be pursued even though she voluntarily surrendered to President Benigno Aquino.

“Tuloy ang kaso..at tuloy po ang mga ibang kaso kung sakaling sasampahan si Gng. Napoles,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said during a press briefing in the Palace.

Lacierda said no deal had been made in exchange for Napoles’ surrender.

There was not even a discussion, he said, if Napoles could be a state witness.

“Yes. There’s only that to secure her (Napoles) safety,” Lacierda said when asked if there was no deal in exchange for Napoles’ surrender.

Lacierda cited the alleged threats to Napoles’ life as the reason why she decided to surrender to Aquino in Malacañang Wednesday night.

He categorically denied that Napoles has been given a special treatment as no less than the President accompanied her when she was turned over to the police.

“Yes, there’s no special treatment,” he said when sought for a categorical answer.

It was not also the first time that a president, Lacierda said, has received a surrendering fugitive.

“There is a history of presidents receiving a surrendering fugitive. This is not the first time and we will list to you the instances where a sitting president has received a fugitive,” he said.

Besides, Lacierda said, Napoles felt that Aquino was the only person she could trust, citing the alleged “serious threats” on her life.

“And so, they asked that Ms. Napoles be surrendered to the President. And this being not the first time it has happened, time and again, where a sitting president has received a surrendering fugitive. This  is not extraordinary,” he further said.

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