Suspected pork scam brains Napoles transferred to Laguna detention facility

(Updated 9:20 a.m.) Janet Lim-Napoles, suspected pork barrel scam operator who has been accused so far of serious illegal detention, was transferred to Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, from the Makati City Jail before dawn Sunday.

 

Philippine National Police spokesman Senior Superintendent Ruben Theodore Sindac confirmed Napoles' transfer to the facility shortly after 6 a.m.

 

"Nais ko lang i-confirm ang paglipat kay Janet Lim Napoles from the Makati City Jail (MCJ) to Sta. Rosa," he said in an interview on dzBB radio.

 

He did not give further details except that Napoles was moved out of the MCJ at 5 a.m. and arrived at Fort Sto. Domingo at 6 a.m.

Sindac later said in an interview on GMA News TV that Fort Sto. Domingo staff members were always on alert, with or without any VIP inside.

"That is their standard and maybe after this initial movement they will resume back to their standard which is always on alert," Sindac said.

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance cameras were installed at the entrance and at the visitor's area of Napoles' cell.

The report said there would be no air conditioning unit, no cellphones, and no bringing in of appliances at the 25-square-meter cell. There was, however, a small refrigerator that could be used by Napoles, who has diabetes.

Also Sindac issued another confirmation through his Twitter account.

This is to CONFIRM the transfer of Janet NAPOLES from Makati City Jail to Sta. Rosa, Laguna, TODAY. ETD Mkti-05:00 AM ETA Sta.Rosa-06:00 AM

— Artie Sindac (@TrueBlueCop84) August 31, 2013

The transfer took place two days after the Makati City Regional trial Court Branch 150 approved Napoles' transfer to the Laguna facility for security purposes.

 

After Napoles' transfer, security was tightened further at the Laguna facility, which also serves as a training ground for the Philippine National Police's elite Special Action Force, radio dzBB's Paulo Santos reported.

Three convoys

 

At least three groups of vehicles left MCJ for Laguna before dawn Sunday, the second including a PNP minibus.

 

The convoys arrived in Sta. Rosa before 6 a.m.

 

First to arrive at the Laguna facility was a group of vehicles that included an SUV and several vehicles with red government-issued plates.

 

Several SAF personnel took up positions at Fort Sto. Domingo in full battle gear following the arrival of the vehicles.

 

On the other hand, a separate convoy that included a PNP minibus and an ambulance left the MCJ at 5 a.m., following hours of preparations, dzBB's Manny Vargas reported.

Two personal guards

In a press briefing hours after Napoles' transfer, PNP Special Action Force Director Carmelo Valmoria and Police Sr. Supt. Roberto Fajardo said two guards were assigned to always be with Napoles, Jay Sabale reported on GMA News TV.

No special treatment would be given to Napoles, but it would be seen how the P115 meal budget could be used for diabetic-friendly food.

Napoles was accompanied by medical representatives as well as her husband, who administered her insulin injection, the report said.

According to Valmoria, Napoles had not eaten anything apart from Sky Flakes crackers since this morning.
 

Predawn preparations

 

PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima arrived at the Makati City Jail after 4 a.m. His vehicle entered the jail compound. He left before 5 a.m.

 

Southern Police District head Chief Superintendent Jose Erwin Villacorte and Makati City police chief Senior Superintendent Manuel Lukban Jr. were in the area to oversee the preparations.

 

Napoles had been the most high-profile inmate at the city jail since Thursday night, when she was brought there on the orders of the Makati regional trial court, where a criminal case of serious illegal detention is pending against Napoles.

 

She had spent Wednesday night at PNP headquarters in Camp Crame after surrendering to President Benigno Aquino III in Malacañang.

 

While the Makati court approved her transfer to the Laguna facility Friday, the transfer did not push through Saturday.

 

Napoles has been tagged as the brains behind a P10-billion pork barrel scam, where she allegedly set up fake non-government organizations to siphon Priority Development Assistance Funds of lawmakers.

 

The extent of the scam triggered outrage from people who demanded the abolition of the pork barrel system.

 

But while President Aquino had said it is time to abolish the PDAF, he called for a mechanism to replace it.  — with a report from Carmela Lapeña /ELR/LBG, GMA News