MANILA – Janet Lim Napoles, the controversial figure at the center of the 2013 pork barrel scam, has been dealt another heavy legal blow after a Pasig City court found her guilty of 13 counts of money laundering — piling on a possible maximum sentence of 154 years in prison.
The Regional Trial Court Branch 158 ruled on October 1 that Napoles must serve a penalty of seven to 14 years for each count and pay a fine of ₱94.15 million. The conviction, announced by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) on Thursday, stemmed from her scheme of diverting pork barrel funds into fake non-governmental organizations and disguising the money as coming from legitimate sources.
“By making it appear that the funds originated from legitimate sources, Napoles concealed its criminal origin – an act that fully satisfied the elements of money laundering under the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001,” the AMLC said.
The council, together with the Department of Justice, filed and prosecuted the case. This latest conviction is the second for Napoles in relation to the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam. In 2024, a Manila court had already sentenced her to another 7 to 14 years in prison and slapped her with a P16-million fine.
AMLC Executive Director Atty. Matthew David hailed the ruling as a major step in the fight against corruption. “This sends a strong message: those who abuse public funds will be held accountable,” David declared.
He stressed that the AMLC “welcomes this court decision as a demonstration of AMLC’s relentless pursuit of individuals who exploit the financial system to conceal corruption.”
The council vowed to continue filing cases against “those who abuse public trust and divert resources meant for national development.”/PN
