SC junks bids of Gigi Reyes, Napoles

Janet Napoles and Gigi Reyes.  FILE PHOTOS

The Supreme Court has dismissed the bid of pork barrel scam accused Atty. Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes and Janet Lim Napoles to nullify the finding of probable cause and arrest warrant order issued by the Sandiganbayan.

Also, the high court dismissed the petitions of Napoles’ children Jo Christine and James Christopher questioning the arrest warrants issued against them.

Reyes and Napoles are facing plunder charges, while Napoles’ children are facing graft charges over their alleged involvement in lawmakers’ supposed misuse of their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

Reyes, former chief of staff of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, in her 81-page petition said the Ombudsman violated her right to due process when the plunder case against her was filed before the Sandiganbayan without providing her with copies of affidavits, transcripts of hearings, statements she needed to rebut her allegations.

Napoles, who is facing a string of plunder and graft charges, on the other hand in her petition said she could not be validly charged as she was not a public officer.

Her children, meanwhile took their case to the high court in a bid to nullify the Ombudsman’s March 28, 2014 joint resolution and June 4, 2014 joint order that gave the green light for the filing of criminal case against them.

The siblings insisted that the Ombudsman committed grave abuse of discretion in filing the case against them.

In its ruling, the high court said the separate petitions filed by Reyes, Napoles and her children lack merit.

“Accordingly, the assailed Resolutions and orders of the Office of the Ombudsman and the Sandiganbayan are hereby affirmed,” the high court said.