MANILA: Senate President Franklin Drilon proposed yesterday that the trial of Janet Lim-Napoles be held in her place of detention at Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna for security reasons and to save on cost.
“Maybe we can ask the Supreme Court to bring the court to the camp, and hold the hearing there rather than bringing Napoles to Makati,” he said.
Drilon made the proposal after Senators Nancy Binay, Francis Escudero and JV Ejercito sought answers from Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II about the expenses incurred in the transfer of Napoles to the training camp of the Special Action Force (SAF).
Escudero, Senate committee on finance chairman, said police will encounter risks every time Napoles is taken to court in Makati for trial.
“Isn’t it a valid security concern on the part of the PNP that you would bring Ms. Napoles each time she has a hearing?” he said.
Fort Sto. Domingo is 46 kilometres from Makati, he added.
Binay asked how much the police spend every time Napoles is transported from Fort Sto. Domingo to court in Makati.
Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima said about 20 police officers were deployed for the transfer of Napoles.
Drilon said the case jurisdiction will remain with the Makati court, although trial will be held inside Fort Sto. Domingo.
“In the same manner that there are hearings for convicted prisoners facing charges in Muntinlupa,” he said. “You don’t have to bring out the prisoner to court. You bring the court to the prisoner.”
Roxas said the PNP will abide by the court’s ruling on the illegal detention case against Napoles.
THE PHILIPPINE STAR
