Napoles to remain jailed in Sta. Rosa if Senate cites her in contempt

Sen. Francis Escudero DELFIN T. MALLARI JR./INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines —The Senate may cite Janet Lim-Napoles in contempt and  order her longer detention at  Fort  Sto. Domingo in Laguna even if her bail petition  is granted by the court, a senator said on  Wednesday.

Napoles, who has been detained for  serious illegal detention of her cousin and whistle-blower Benhur Luy,  has  a pending petition in court  to  allow her to post bail.

And while she may invoke her right against self-incrimination when she appears and testifies before the Senate blue ribbon committee on Thursday, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero  said  Napoles might still be cited in contempt if the  committee  disagrees with the invocation of  such right.

“Under our rules,  if the Senate  does  not agree with the invocation, she can be cited in contempt.  But the Senate   should look into this  because  she’s already  detained  in Sta. Rosa. Usually, those cited in contempt is detained in  the Senate. We have aircon here,  better than  that  of Sta. Rosa,” said Escudero, who initiated the “pork”  investigation in the Senate.

“But since there’s a commitment order already from the court, she will still  be detained in Sta. Rosa  even if we cite  her in contempt. Even if she’s allowed to post bail, if  the Senate has issued a contempt order against her,  then that’s another reason to keep  her where she  is being detained now,” he said.

Escudero said a majority vote of committee members is needed to cite  Napoles in contempt though he said the usual  practice in the Senate authorizes the  committee chairman to unilaterally  cite  a person  in contempt  unless   a member objects or calls for a vote.

Aside from possible continued detention  in Laguna,  Escudero said  Napoles’ invocation of her  rights against self-incrimination might  just reinforces  speculations  that  she was  hiding something.

“If there are basic questions  that  you can’t and don’t want to answer, then it’s clear  that you’re hiding something,” he said.

“We have what we call  under the rules on evidence admission by silence where  you’re asked or accused of something and  the natural reaction is to deny  it if it’s not true,” Escudero.