BI: Napoles daughter back in PHL, listed on lookout bulletin

The Bureau of Immigration has confirmed that Jeane Napoles has returned to the country, contradicting what her mother, alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles, said.

“Jeane Catherine Napoles is in the Philippines based on the travel records,” said BI spokesperson Elaine Tan in a statement Friday. “She was allowed entry because there was no legal basis to prevent her entry into country.”

Jeane, who is facing tax evasion charges, became the subject of public scrutiny when videos showing her lavish lifestyle abroad circulated on the Internet.

Following information that Jeane is back in the country, Justice Secretary  Leila De Lima issued a lookout bulletin order (LBO) against her, using her tax evasion case as basis.  

“The lookout bulletin only serves as a directive to immigration officers to coordinate with the concerned agencies (Department of Justice, National Bureau of Investigation, National Prosecution Service) to verify the status of the case against a subject/passenger,” Tan said.

“The decision on whether to allow or deny travel of the passenger shall be based on the recommendation of the appropriate agency,” she added.

Last year, the Bureau of Internal Revenue filed tax evasion complaints against Jeane for her alleged failure to file income tax returns for the years 2011 and 2012, the years when she supposedly acquired a Ritz Carlton condominium unit and a farm lot in Pangasinan, respectively.

On Tuesday, the Department of Justice filed before the Court of Tax Appeals a P32-million tax evasion case against Jeanne.

The elder Napoles has denied reports that Jeane, her youngest daughter, is in the country.

“Siguro naman kung nandito na siya, isa ako sa mga unang makakaalam,” Napoles said earlier in the day at the sidelines of the hearing of her petition for bail for plunder case before the Sandiganbayan Third Division.

She was reacting to a report that Jeane was sighted in a five-star hotel in Pasay City with her father and siblings.

Napoles said her youngest daughter is set to arrive from States late this week or early next week. Jeanne is leaving in a posh condominium unit at the Ritz Carlton in Los Angeles, California. —Mark Merueñas/KBK, GMA News