Energy Regulatory Commission Chairperson Zenaida Cruz-Ducut. PHOTO BY RICHARD A. REYES
MANILA, Philippines—The Manila Regional Trial Court has issued preservation order on the assets and bank accounts of Janet Lim-Napoles, her family, Energy Regulatory Commission chief Zenaida Ducut and other names implicated in the pork barrel scam following the bid of the government to seize their assets.
In a 22-page order dated Feb. 26, Manila RTC Executive Judge Marino M. Dela Cruz Jr. said the provisional asset preservation order (PAPO) was issued because the court “finds probable cause that the subject bank accounts, monetary instruments, motor vehicles and real properties are related to unlawful activities that may constitute plunder, bribery…”
The order prohibits the “transaction, transfer, removal, conversion, concealment or other disposition” of the subject accounts, assets and properties.
The PAPO will be for 20 days.
The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), in their petition for forfeiture of assets, said that their investigation showed that despite absence of legitimate income, there was a spike in the bank accounts and other monetary instruments during the period of the pork barrel scam.
“That a study of the transactional behavior of the subject accounts would show significant increases or spikes during said period; that the subject real properties and motor vehicles are not only registered in the names of the individuals and/or entities link to the pork barrel scam but were also acquired and/or registered during the material dates of the Pork Barrel Scam,” the AMLC said in their petition.
The total amount in the bank accounts covered by PAPO is P119.917 million and US$696,635.02.
Covered by the PAPO, aside from Janet Lim-Napoles, are her husband, Jaime, and their children Jo Christine, James Christopher, Jeane Catherine, Jane Catherine, and John Christian; and Napoles’ brother Reynald Lim, also her co-accused in the serious illegal detention case pending before a Makati Regional Trial court.
The others covered include, among others, Arthur Luy, Gertrudes Luy, William Lim, Simonette Briones, Ruby Tuason, Benhur Luy, Erwin Cagas Dangwa, Florante Nacor, Flordeliz Escalera Galido, Francis Palmones Jr., Hector Ang, Jacquelina Ang, Rodolfo Plaza, Shirley Marie Plaza, Maria Isabel Plaza, Energy Regulatory Commission chair Zenaida Cruz-Ducut, Ana Marie Lim, Agrikultura Para sa Magbubukid Foundation Inc., Masaganang Ani Para sa Magsasaka Foundation Inc., Bukirin Tanglaw Foundation, Countrywide Agricultural and Rural Economic Development Foundation, Masaganang Buhay Foundation Inc., People’s Organization for Progress and Dev’t Foundation Inc., Social Dev’t Program for Farmers Foundation Inc., JLN Construction and Dev’t Corp., JLN Corporation, Jo-Christine Trading, JCLN Global Properties Dev’t Corp, JCLN Real Estate Consortium Inc., and ZNAC Rubber Estate Corp.
The trial court has set a hearing on March 7.
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