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[av_heading heading=’DOJ partially admits ‘pork queen’ to WPP’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’18’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Saturday, March 17, 2018
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MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it provisionally admitted pork barrel scam principal suspect Janet Lim Napoles to its Witness Protection Program (WPP).
WPP seeks to encourage a person who has witnessed or has knowledge of the commission of a crime to testify before a court or an investigating authority by protecting the person from revenge and from economic dislocation.
“(Napoles) is under the program pending a review of her new affidavit. If requested by the subject, we can provide additional security and as warranted, address medical needs,” said Undersecretary Erickson Balmes.
With this development, the camp of Napoles filed an urgent motion before the Sandiganbayan for her transfer under the custody of the DOJ from her current detention at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) at Camp Bagong Diwa.
Attached to Napoles’ three-page urgent motion was a DOJ certification signed by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Ma. Nerissa Molina-Carpio stating her partial admission to WPP since Feb. 27, 2018.
Napoles also noted in her petition that the anti-graft court granted her motion after receiving harassment and death threats.
“There were recorded incidents of harassments, intimidations and threats on her life and security, which could be avoided if the DOJ-WPP would be allowed to perform its mandate to protect accused-movant, as covered witness,” it said.
Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II in May 2017 explored the possibility of turning Napoles into state witness to shed light in the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel scam.
Napoles expressed willingness to be admitted in DOJ-WPP but the Office of Ombudsman threatened to block any possibility of turning Napoles to state witness.
Napoles faces several plunder and graft charges before six divisions of the Sandiganbayan for her alleged involvement in the P10-billion pork barrel scam.
Napoles allegedly conspired with about 12 former lawmakers to divert public funds to her fake nongovernmental organizations./PN
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