MANILA: The defence panel in the bail petition hearing of businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles yesterday presented as their witness a priest who claims that whistleblower Benhur Luy was not illegally detained but had spent a spiritual retreat at the house in Magallanes Village reportedly owned by Napoles.
Taking the witness stand before the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150, Fr Peter Edward Lavin, 53, of the Alagad ni Maria Seminary in Antipolo, testified that on December 20, 2012, after saying Mass at the Heritage Park in Taguig for the birthday of Napoles’ late mother, Magdalena, he was approached by Napoles’ brother and co-accused, Reynald Lim.
Lavin told the court that Lim had asked for his help saying that Luy wanted to undergo a religious renewal for alleged drug addiction and involvement in an alleged anomalous loan.
“After the Mass, Reynald approached me and told me that Benhur wanted a spiritual retreat for drug addiction and anomalies for a loan that the company was not aware of,” said Lavin. Lavin told the court that he offered a retreat house adjacent to their seminary in Antipolo for Luy’s retreat. Lavin also told the court that he also offered to act as Luy’s spiritual adviser during his retreat.
However, Lavin said Luy did not appear at the Antipolo retreat house. He told the court he later learned that Luy chose to go instead to the “Bahay ni San Jose” located at 52 Lapu Lapu St in Magallanes Village in Makati with Monsignor Josefino Ramirez as his retreat master. “Monsi (Ramirez) told me that Benhur has already started his spiritual counselling with him,” said Lavin.
Lavin told the court that he saw Benhur last December 26 walking at the house’s garden and praying. In another visit, he again saw Benhur praying at the house’s chapel and was even seen later talking with someone on a mobile phone.
“He was quite happy because he was talking with someone on a cellphone,” he said.
Lavin told the court that he was not aware that Benhur was being held against his will as they would greet each other whenever he would visit the Magallanes house.
“I just said hello and he said he was okay,” he said. Lavin said he visited the Magallanes house six times since December 26, 2012.
During his cross-examination, Lavin told Prosecutor Christoper Garvida that he does not know Napoles personally. Lavin said he would just sometimes help Monsignor Ramirez say Mass at Napoles’ office or at her mother’s mausoleum.
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