Napoles lawyers, prosecutors clash over Luy’s letter

Atty. Lorna Kapunan

MANILA, Philippines—Lawyers of Janet Lim Napoles, the alleged brains behind the pork barrel scam, have accused government prosecutors of suppressing evidence.

During Monday’s bail hearing, Atty. Lorna Kapunan said they were not given a copy of whistle-blower Benhur Luy’s letter indicating he was being detained by Napoles and her brother Reynald “Jojo” Lim.

“The original of this letter has been suppressed not once but twice (referring to the NBI investigation and the bail hearing),” Kapunan told the court.

But the government prosecutors denied the allegation saying the letter will soon be presented once Luy testified.

“We have to be given a chance to present our case and stop Atty. Kapunan from teaching us,” the government prosecutor said.

Anabelle Luy-Reario testified that she read the letter twice along with her mother. The letter, she said indicated that her brother was being held against his will.

She said on several occasions they pleaded to Lim to allow them to see Benhur Luy. They were allowed to do so three times.

Reario said Luy told them “tubusin na sya” and that the siblings (Napoles and Lim) made threats to his life.

But Atty. Freddie Villamor, one of Napoles’ counsel, said if Luy made such a plea and told them of the threats, why was it not included in Reario’s March 2013 affidavit.

She said she forgot to include such detail.