Napoles building rising in Kidapawan

THE TWO-STORY building registered in the name of Jaime Napoles is under construction in Barangay Sudapin in Kidapawan City, where the Napoleses also own a house. Foliage partly hides the rising structure. WILLIAMOR A. MAGBANUA/INQUIRER MINDANAO

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines—Signs of the extent of the wealth of Janet Lim-Napoles have surfaced here.

A two-story building is rising in the village of Sudapin, which records at the city building permits office showed is owned by retired Marine Maj. Jaime Napoles, husband of Janet.

According to residents of the village, construction started in June 2012 but records from the building permits office said a permit was issued for the project only on July 17 this year.

The site of the building is at least 20 kilometers from downtown.

The building, however, is not the first sign of the Napoleses’ wealth emerging here.

Mt. Apo Inn on Bautista Street is registered under Napoles’ daughter, Jo Christine, based on records the Inquirer obtained from the city licensing office.

Whistle-blowers had pointed to at least three pieces of property owned by Napoles here.

This city is covered by North Cotabato’s second district, which Rep. Nancy Catamco also represents in the House of Representatives.

Catamco has been linked to a Napoles nongovernment organization, the Aaron Foundation Inc., which also got tens of millions of pesos of pork barrel funds from legislators.

REVELATIONS about how the Napoleses wallowed in allegedly ill-gotten wealth fueled protest rallies like this one in Cebu City where a protester wears her sentiment on her head. TONEE DESPOJO/CEBU DAILY NEWS

Catamco is reported to be close to Napoles and her name was mentioned in the more than P700-million fertilizer scam allegedly put together by former agriculture undersecretary Joc-joc Bolante. She also owned Perzebros, a firm mentioned as involved in the fertilizer scam and which she co-owns with her estranged husband, Pompey Perez.

Catamco had denied any wrongdoing.

Rodolfo Cabiles Jr., city administrator, said the fact that the Napoleses owned pieces of property here is not surprising.

Cabiles told the Inquirer by phone that Jaime hails from this city. “He has a brother here,” he said.

The Inquirer also learned that Napoles is related to an old political clan here. Williamor Magbanua with a report from Allan Nawal, Inquirer Mindanao