What is keeping the police from transferring Napoles back to jail?

Janet Lim-Napoles INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Is Janet Lim Napoles already broke that she can no longer settle her hospital bills? Or is she just making an excuse to escape from her inconvenient life in prison?

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Wednesday that it could not pull out the alleged pork barrel mastermind from the Ospital ng Makati (OsMak) after her surgery because of two obstacles.

First, the OsMak could not discharge her due to her unsettled bills of P97,116.43.

Second, the counsels of Napoles filed an urgent motion before the Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) to extend her stay at OsMak until her post-operation checkups are completed.

Despite the calls of critics to immediately bring Napoles back to jail, Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, PNP Public Information Office chief, told reporters in a press briefing that the transfer is hindered by the said obstacles.

“Our hands are tied and there was a move that (Napoles’ transfer) will be held in abeyance due to some changes so we will respect that for the time being,”‎ Sindac said.

As soon as the police received the court order allowing the discharge of Napoles, he said they have immediately laid out their security plans and preparations to move Napoles from OsMak back to her detention facility in Fort Sto. Domingo, Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Napoles underwent a uterus and ovaries removal surgery last April 22 after being diagnosed with a condition called severe adenomyosis of the uterus with mult‎iple adenomyomata.

“In a way, this has become our dilemma because she couldn’t be released until she’s fully paid of her bill,” Sindac said.

Prior to her surgery, the Makati RTC ordered Napoles to shoulder her hospital expenses.

Sindac added that the prosecution ‎sought more time to study the appeal of the defense, suspending the movement of Napoles.

The appeal for the motion for extension at the hospital will be heard on May 14.

Asked why Napoles cannot afford to pay her hospital bill, Sindac said it is beyond the function of the PNP to check the detained businesswoman’s ‎capability to pay.

But he assured that the PNP also wants to transfer Napoles to jail as soon as possible.

‎”We hope we will have a speedy resolution to this impasse because this is also new to us that even the prosecution needed time to respond to their motion,” Sindac added. With a report from Jean Kyle Kelly

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