Court enters not guilty plea for Jeane Napoles on tax evasion case

JEANE Catherine Napoles, daughter of Janet Lim-Napoles, one of the principal accused in the pork barrel scam case, refused to enter a plea on Wednesday during the arraignment of her tax evasion case.

The tax court third division automatically entered a not guilty plea on her behalf.

BACKSTORY: Jeane Napoles to stay in PH, face her tax evasion cases

Napoles was arraigned for violation of Section 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) for failure to file, supply correct and accurate information and pay tax.

The tax court pushed for her arraignment after it denied her motion to cancel the arraignment on the ground of a pending petition for review before the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Associate Justice Esperanza Fabon Victorino said under the rules, the petition for review has to be resolved within 60 days but the case has been pending for 100 days.

The Tax Court also rejected Napoles’ appeal on the dismissal on her bid for judicial determination of probable cause and to stop the consolidation of her other tax case.

Based on the charge sheet, which was read to her during the arraignment, Napoles’ tax liability is P17, 461,038.40.

The tax court also mentioned of her condominium unit in the US which, according to the charge sheet, she has managed to acquire but failed to file the necessary income tax.

BACKSTORY: Tax court lifts arrest warrant vs Jeane Napoles 

Preliminary conference is set on July 14 while pre-trial conference is set on July 29.

The court has yet to set the arraignment of Napoles for violation of Section 254 of the NIRC. AC