PNP: Security for Napoles will remain tight at Makati hospital

By: Maricar Cinco - 11 years ago

Contributed Photo by Philippine National Police Public Information Office

STA ROSA CITY, Philippines — Janet Lim Napoles will remain under a tight watch even as she undergoes hospital confinement at a state hospital in Makati City, according to a police official in Calabarzon.

The Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) police has been preparing for Napoles’ transfer to the Ospital ng Makati from Fort Sto. Domingo in this city, said the official, who requested anonymity for not having been authorized to release information to media (only Chief Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac, the chief information officer of the Philippine National Police, has been authorized to talk to the media about Napoles’ transfer to the hospital.)

“We will provide the security during (the surgery) and after her recovery, together with the NCRPO (National Capital Region Police Office) because (the hospital) is already in their area,” the official said in a phone interview on Monday.

He, however, refused to say how many police officers will be assigned to secure Napoles at the Ospital ng Makati.

“Pinoproblema nga naming saan patitirahin ang tropa (We are actually worried where in Makati we would billet the troops),” the official

said in a jest. “But that would not be much of a problem, they could sleep standing up anyway,” he said.

Napoles, who is being held for serious illegal detention of Benhur Luy, the whistleblower in the pork barrel scam case, and is separately charged with plunder over the P10 billion pork barrel scam, asked the Makati Regional Trial Court to allow her to undergo hospital treatment.

The court last week granted Napoles’ plea although it ruled that the surgery be done in a government hospital instead of a private facility.

The police source said they were informed that Napoles’ choice of physician from the private St. Luke’s Medical Center would perform the surgery to remove her uterine cyst.

Napoles would shoulder the hospital expenses, the official said.

“There will be security (personnel) inside (the hospital room) and outside in the hallway. No (media) interviews,” he said.

He added that only Napoles’ doctors, lawyers, and close family members would be allowed to pay her a visit, according to the normal visiting hours being enforced by the hospital.

The official said Napoles could be transferred to Makati within Monday.

When asked in a text message, Sindac said the transfer could “possibly be later (Monday) p.m.,” but he declined to give further details for security reasons.