Janet Napoles and Gigi Reyes. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Hours before the court ordered her transfer to Camp Bagong Diwa, alleged “pork” barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles was smiling at reporters as she ate her “paksiw na tulingan” and pork chops at the Sandiganbayan canteen.
She had missed her bail hearing when she arrived on Friday, and thus was asked to stay until after lunch to secure her appearance.
But as she was waiting in the court room, the Sandiganbayan third division issued a resolution ordering her transfer to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology female dormitory in Camp Bagong Diwa.
Napoles would soon be sharing the detention facility of another accused Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes, the resigned chief of staff of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, who faces plunder charges with her former boss.
During lunch, Napoles was even introduced to this reporter. Smiling, she even remarked how handsome and beautiful the reporters were.
“Kumain muna tayo at mag-usap mamaya (Let’s eat first and talk later),” a smiling Napoles told this reporter after shaking hands.
She didn’t know then that it might be her last night in Fort Sto. Domingo in Laguna, which the court said is not a detention facility but a police training school.
Napoles left the courtroom hidden behind her hoodie and a pair of sunshades. Reporters saw a different Napoles — elusive to questions as she skulked out in her circle of police escorts.
Her lawyer Stephen David said Napoles cried and was afraid upon knowing that she would be transferred to another jail.
“Umiyak siya at natakot kasi hindi niya alam what awaits her in the facility in Bagong Diwa (She cried because she is afraid. She does not know what awaits her there),” David said.
“Panibagong adjustments na naman ‘yun (It’s another adjustment she has to make),” he added.
But when asked how Napoles reacted to sharing a jail with Reyes, David said she had no comment.
“Magkaibigan naman sila e. Magkakailala sila (They’re friends. They know each other),” David told INQUIRER.net.
“Sabi ko, at least may makakasama siya dun (At least, she’ll have a companion),” he added.
Napoles and Reyes are said to be friends after pictures of the two surfaced in one of Napoles’ parties.
Napoles is the accused mastermind of the multi-billion racket of pillaging lawmakers’ pork barrel funds to ghost projects for kickbacks.
As she faces plunder and graft charges over the scam, she is detained in Fort Sto. Domingo over a separate serious illegal detention charge.
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