CCTV footages show Benhur Luy not detained, says Napoles lawyer

Janet Lim Napoles and Atty. Lorna Kapunan. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The camp of Janet Lim-Napoles showed Friday screenshots taken from a security camera footage at the Pacific Plaza condominium in Fort Bonifacio Global City which seemingly showed that Benhur Luy, her distant cousin who filed serious illegal detention case against Napoles, wasn’t really detained, nor was he restrained.

Attorney Lorna Kapunan, Napoles’ legal counsel, showed several screenshots before the media during a break at the hearing for Napoles’ bail petition before Judge Elmo Alameda of Branch 150 of the Makati Regional Trial Court.

The screenshots showed the back of two men as they were walking, one of whom Kapunan identified as Reynald “Jojo” Lim, Napoles’ brother, and Luy, who was seen wearing red.

“Pinapakita sa CCTV camera na ito na itong si Reynald Lim . . .at si Benhur. Si Benhur nasa likod. Pwede naman siyang tumakbo anytime . . . Pwede syang tumakas. Sinasabi nila na restrained sya. Hindi naman restrained (The CCTV footage showed Reynald Lim with Benhur at the back following him. He could have run or escaped. They say Benhur was restrained, but this footage showed he was not),” Kapunan said.

She said the screenshots were taken from the CCTV footage of a camera installed at the basement parking of Pacific Plaza “at the night of the alleged rescue” on March 22 this year.

Luy’s hands were placed at his back as seen in the screenshots, but Kapunan said Luy’s hands weren’t tied or in any manner restrained.

Napoles’ camp said Luy was walking “independently.”

Kapunan also reiterated what Luy allegedly said when agents of the National Bureau of Investigation arrived for the “rescue operation” of Luy.

Luy allegedly said: “Ayaw kong sumama sa inyo, wala namang masamang ginagawa si kuya Jojo,” pertaining to Lim.

Kapunan also reiterated that Luy went on a retreat at Bahay San Jose in Makati City after Napoles discovered that he pocketed P300,000, and another P5 million.

A letter, allegedly written by Luy for his family while he was inside Bahay San Jose, was read to the media to support their argument.

Part of the letter was: “Mga minamahal ko, tanging bible at psalter lamang ang aking kausap. Ang panghawakan ko para tumagal at makayanan ang ganito katagal ay ang pag-asa na ibinigay ng Diyos sa akin na balang araw ay matatapos din.

“Ang ddating lungkot at iyak ay balang araw will turn into joy and happiness or laughter or gladness.

“Iniimbitahan ko kayo damayan ninyo ako sa aking ginagawa. I am currently doing the nocturnal prayer 3 a.m. fasting.”

Part of the letter also cited forgiveness from the Napoles family, “especially ate Jenny for my wrongdoing, or our wrong doing,” it said in Filipino.

Kapunan said that this only goes to show that he went on a retreat and that he asked for forgiveness.

“Wag niyo nalang ako kasuhan, mag re-retreat na lang ako,” Kapunan quoted Luy as saying.

Kapunan also said that there were even times when Luy and Lim ate at a restaurant along Magallanes village, buy groceries, and even have coffee at Bonifacio Global City.

“So ano sinasabi nila na hindi makalabas sa retreat house?” Kapunan asked.

She said they have affidavits of drivers showing that they have driven Luy and Lim to restaurants from December to March—the three-month period which Luy claimed he was under illegal detention.

Napoles is currently detained at the Fort Sto. Domingo in Laguna for the serious illegal detention case filed against her.