GMA Brandtalk
Tracking
Archives
ADVERTISEMENT
Filtered By: Topstories
News
Jinggoy, Napoles arrive at Sandiganbayan for arraignment for ‘pork’ scam
+
Make this your preferred source to get more updates from this publisher on Google.
Two personalities linked to the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam arrived at the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City almost at the same time Monday morning.
Suspected mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada arrived at the anti-graft court after their convoys "merged" while en route there.
Both convoys arrived one after the other shortly before 8 a.m., with the convoy of Napoles arriving first, GMA News' Tina Panganiban-Perez reported on GMA News TV's News TV Live.
Security was tighter Monday than during the arraignment of Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. last week, GMA News' Panganiban-Perez added.
Media representatives were not allowed entry to the premises as the flag ceremony was still ongoing.
Supporters of Estrada arrived outside the anti-graft court early Monday.
Businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles (partly hidden, wearing hoodie) is shielded from the media by her police escorts as she arrives at the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City on Monday, June 30. Napoles and Senator Jinggoy Estrada are charged with plunder in connection with the alleged P10-B pork barrel scam. GMA News
Merged convoys
A report by GMA News' Micaela Papa said the convoys merged while in Quezon City and heading for the anti-graft court premises.
Both convoys merged at the EDSA-Kamuning flyover, radio dzBB's Rodil Vega added.
Napoles' convoy came from Sta. Rosa in Laguna while that of Estrada came from the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame.
Both were to be arraigned on graft and plunder charges related to the multibillion-peso scam.
Estrada faces one counter and 11 counts of graft, while Napoles has three counts of plunder and 42 counts of graft.
Estrada allegedly diverted his Priority Development Assistance Fund allocation to fake NGOs put up by Napoles, and pocketed P183.79 million in kickbacks.
Napoles, on the other hand, has been accused of running the scheme that went on for nearly a decade. —Joel Locsin/KG, GMA News
