MANILA: Alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles refused to enter a plea yesterday to the serious illegal detention charges filed against her.
Instead, the Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 150 entered a not guilty plea for Napoles, branch clerk Diosfa Valencia said in a phone patch interview on ANC.
Valencia said Napoles’ bail hearing will proceed on September 27, Friday.
The central figure in the P10bn ($240m) pork barrel scam arrived from her detention facility in Fort Sto Domingo with her counsel, Atty Lorna Kapunan.
About 100 policemen escorted Napoles due to the security threats against the beleaguered businesswoman.
Napoles and her brother, Reynald Lim, are facing a case of serious illegal detention filed by principal pork barrel scam whistleblower Benhur Luy.
Lim remains at large.
Earlier in the day, Napoles’ lawyer filed an urgent motion before the Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 150 to transfer her arraignment to Fort Sto Domingo due to alleged security threats.
“The threats aganst Janet’s life and security have now become even graver and more imminent due to the said filing before the Office of the Ombudsman of plunder and malversation charges,” said the motion in part.
Napoles is also facing plunder charges before the Office of the Ombudsman after being accused of pocketing lawmakers’ pork barrel that allegedly went to the bogus non-government organisations she supposedly set up.
The arrest warrant for Napoles in connection with the serious illegal detention charges was issued last month, prompting her to go into hiding for about two weeks.
Napoles eventually surrendered to President Benigno Aquino III last September 28 at the Malacañang.
The Philippine star
