Napoles bail grant ‘very suspicious,’ says Cayetano

SAN MIGUEL, BULACAN—Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday said he was “greatly appalled” by the decision of the antigraft court granting bail to “pork barrel scam” mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.

“I am greatly appalled. Galit po ako kung bakit nabigyan ng piyansa si Napoles. Bakit po?” Cayetano told reporters during an interview here.

Although granted bail, Napoles could not be released from detention because her petition for the same had been denied in other Sandiganbayan divisions hearing other lawmakers’ plunder cases where she was also charged.

READ: Napoles, ex-solon Valdez granted bail

But still, Cayetano said the bail grant to Napoles was a “bad sign.”

“It is a very bad sign kasi kapag sinabi mong the evidence is weak, eh yung iba magsasabi na rin sila na the evidence is weak … and remember when the evidence is weak, that is going toward acquittal,” he said.

READ: Palace clarifies: Convicted in earlier case, Napoles to stay in jail

The senator said the bail approval was “very suspicious,” noting it could have a “domino effect” on other Napoles cases.

“The mere fact na pinayagan ng piyansa is very suspicious. Where to put blame now, that I don’t know,” he said.

Cayetano said this should be a wake-up call to the government.

“Kailangang ipaliwanang ng administrasyong ito kung bakit nakapiyansa. Mahina ba ang kaso? Mahina ba yung ebidensyang isinumbmit niyo? May problema ba sa korte? Right now, I don’t know the answer,” said Cayetano, citing the Senate had found “solid” evidence against Napoles when they investigated the pork barrel scam. RC