Napoles employees plead not guilty to graft raps

MANILA, Philippines — At least eight accused employees of Janet Lim-Napoles pleaded not guilty to graft charges over their alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam.

The Sandiganbayan third division on Monday arraigned the following private individuals tagged in the scam:

• Dorilyn Fabian – personnel of Napoles’ foundation Agricultura Para sa Magbubukid Foundation
• Mylene Encarnacion – personal assistant of Napoles, head of Countryside Agri and Rural Economic Development Foundation
• Eulogio Rodriguez – driver of Napoles
• Jocelyn Piorato – Napoles’ former personal assistant
• Renato Ornopia – Napoles’ utility worker, household help or caretaker
• Evelyn De Leon – head of Napoles’ foundation Philippine Social Development Foundation
• Nitz Cabilao – Napoles’ employee
• Jesus Castillo – Napoles’ employee

Meanwhile, the arraignment of other alleged Napoles cohorts Hernani Ditchon, Rodrigo Galay and Laarni Uy were deferred pending the court’s resolution on their appeals on the Sandiganbayan’s denial of their motions for reinvestigation.

Napoles’ children Jo Christine and James Christopher were also supposed to be arraigned but the court deferred it pending their resolution on the accused’s motions for reconsideration.

Napoles is accused of masterminding the pork barrel scam by forming dummy foundations to spend lawmakers’ Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) in ghost projects for kickbacks.

The court’s hearing on the said scam has resulted in the detention of three senators — Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr. in the Philippine National Police Custodial Center, and Juan Poce Enrile under hospital arrest.

Meanwhile, Napoles is detained at the Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig with Enrile’s co-accused and resigned chief of staff Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes.

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