By Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan
MANILA, (PNA) — The camp of Janet Lim Napoles, the alleged mastermind of the P10-billion ‘pork barrel scam,’ will file a motion to transfer the venue of her arraignment on Monday from Makati city court to Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna for security reasons.
Napoles faces serious illegal detention charges along with her brother Reynald Lim, filed by their cousin, whistleblower Benhur Luy.
Atty. Lorna Kapunan, Napoles’ legal counsel on Sunday said they will file on Monday before the Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 150 a motion asking for the transfer of the venue of the arraignment for Napoles with serious illegal detention case.
Napoles is currently detained at the Fort Santo Domingo in Santa Rosa, Laguna upon orders of the Makati court. Laguna is about 65 kilometers away from Metro Manila.
Makati RTC Branch 150 Judge Elmo Alameda on Friday set the arraignment of Napoles on September 23 after junking the latter’s petition seeking for its postponement due to lack of merit.
According to Kapunan, they wanted to deferred Napoles arraignment because of her pending petition for certiorari in the Court of Appeals (CA).
But Alameda said the mere pendency of a petition for certiorari before the Court of Appeals will not automatically suspend the proceedings.
Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said that the Philippine National Police (PNP) may give the court information on the cost and preparations entailed in transferring Napoles from Laguna to Makati for her court hearings.
However, Roxas said that it is still up to the court to decide on the venue of the hearings, adding that the PNP will secure the premises.