By Priam F. Nepomuceno & Christopher LLoyd T. Caliwan
MANILA,(PNA) — Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged brain in the P10-billion pork barrel fund scam, was safely transported to the Makati City Jail (MCJ) around 11: 20 p.m. Thursday.
Napoles and her police escorts left the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame around 11:15 p.m.
She was aboard white coaster that was escorted by 10 police vehicles.
The handcuffed Napoles was clad in a pink sweat shirt and a black bullet-proof vest.
She was flanked by two lady Special Action Force members as she was taken to a small holding room.
“She was in fine condition when she left Camp Crame and prior to her departure, she underwent ECG examination,” PNP public information office head Senior Supt. Theodore Sindac said.
Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II and Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte were at the Makati City Jail when Napoles arrived.
Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 150 Presiding Judge Elmo Alameda on Thursday ordered the immediate transfer of Napoles to the (MCJ).
In a one-page commitment order issued around 1 p.m., Alameda ordered the jail warden of the MCJ to secure the businesswoman.
“I hereby commit to you the person of accused Janet Lim-Napoles who is charged with serious illegal detention under Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code under the information filed by Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Theodore Villanueva which was admitted by this court on August 14, 2013 and to be kept under your custody until further orders from this Court,” the commitment order read.
A copy of the order was immediately brought by Court Sheriff Bong Carreon to Camp Crame where Napoles was held since Wednesday night after her surrender to President Benigno S. Aquino III in Malacanang Palace.
Napoles was identified as the alleged mastermind of the pork barrel scam in which part of the legislator’s Priority Development Assistance Fund were channeled into dubious non-government organizations she supposedly set up, an allegation she has denied.
Alameda set Napoles’ arraignment for serious illegal detention charge on Sept. 9.