Securing Napoles at Senate to cost P150,000, says PNP spokesman

PNP spokesman Senior Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Moving the woman accused of a P10-billion plunder out of her detention facility is proving costly for the government.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Tuesday it would spend about P150,000 to secure detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles for her much-awaited appearance at a Senate inquiry into the pork barrel scam on Thursday.

Senior Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, PNP spokesperson, said much of the budget would be used for the gasoline consumption and other operational expenses of the police convoy that would take Napoles to the Senate.

He said at least 100 members of the Special Action Force (SAF) and other police units were assigned to accompany and secure the high-profile detainee from her bungalow cell at Fort Sto. Domingo, the SAF training camp in Santa Rosa City, Laguna.

“Each trip (of Napoles) out of Fort Sto. Domingo costs P150,000. Bulk of that money will be used for the gas, meals and other logistical requirements of our troops for the whole activity,” Sindac told a news briefing at Camp Crame.

Although it has allocated funds for such activity, he said Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II noted that the PNP might request for supplemental budget if Napoles would need to attend several Senate hearings on the alleged misuse of the congressional pork barrel, officially called the Priority Development Assistance Fund.

“Our security preparation is all set. The PNP units… tasked to provide security have met with their counterparts in the Senate to lay out plans for that movement,” he said.

Asked to comment about the reported security threats against Napoles, Sindac said: “The threat is imminent and it is apparent because of… the situation and environment in the Senate (venue) which is bigger and wider.”

“Her exposure in the Senate will also be much longer. So it’s reasonable for (the Senate) to require more (security) measures aside from personnel,” he added.

Since she was transferred to Fort Sto. Domingo on September 1, Napoles had stepped out of her detention facility twice.

On September 23, she was brought to a Makati City Regional Trial Court to attend her arraignment in connection with the alleged illegal detention of principal whistleblower Benhur Luy.

A month later, Napoles was rushed to the hospital after she complained of nausea and pain in her abdomen, which was later diagnosed to be kidney stones.

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