Napoles says BJMP team ransacked her jail cell, stole documents

Alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles has accused Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) personnel of raiding her jail cell in Camp Bagong Diwa without proper authorization.

Napoles used the supposed illegal raid by the BJMP's Greyhound Team to justify her wish to be included in the government's Witness Protection Program (WPP).

Based on an undated incident report that Napoles submitted to the Sandiganbayan, the raid took place on October 12, 2017 involving 40 BJMP personnel.

The report, signed by Senior Jail Officer 1 Ruth Adorna and jail warden Chief Inspector Editha Dalisay, said one male officer wearing full battle gear entered the cell of "client Napoles" and confiscated several of her belongings and documents.

"The Greyhound Team entered the cell by cutting the chain/lock with the use of a bolt cutter and kicking off the door to open. The entire cell was searched and ended with the confiscation of some items to include personal belongings and important documents and the cutting and disabling of the CCTV security camera," the report read.

It further said the operation of the Greyhound Team was conducted without proper coordination with the detailed team on duty.

Napoles attached the report to her manifestation to the Sandiganbayan to "enlighten even more" the anti-graft court to grant her urgent motion to be transferred to the WPP.

"With this compliance, accused hopes to enlighten even more the honorable court, of the reasons warranting the relief prayed for in the urgent motion," Napoles, through her lawyers, said.

Laywer Stephen David had earlier told the Sandiganbayan that several "bonnetmen" ransacked the cell of Napoles where they stole her laptop and documents relevant to her defense in her pork barrel fund cases. 

The Sandiganbayan then urged David to prove the  supposed threats and harassment against Napoles.

Under Section 6 Chapter 5 of the BJMP Manual on Operation Greyhound, a raiding team is allowed to conduct a "surprise search for contrabands and inspections of cells and belongings of (high-profile/risk inmates) should be conducted in regular basis."

The Department of Justice will submit its own comment to the Sandiganbayan on the provisional admission of Napoles to the WPP. —KBK, GMA News