Juana Change wants Janet Lim-Napoles extradited to US: Baka doon mas may pag-asa ng hustisya

Activist Mae Paner, famously known as Juana Change, wants businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles to be extradited to the United States.

A United States federal grand jury has indicted the alleged pork barrel scam mastermind and five others for money laundering by supposedly funneling some $20 million in Philippine public funds in and out of the US through a “multi-year bribery and fraud scheme.”

Napoles, her children Jo Christine, James Christopher, and Jeane Catherine; brother Reynald Luy Lim, and his wife Ana Marie, were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, domestic money laundering, and international money laundering, the US Department of Justice said on Wednesday.

"Very welcome itong balita na ito na nabubuo ang lalim ng involvement ni Janet Lim-Napoles sa mga karimarimarin na paggamit ng pondo ng bayan," Paner said in an interview on Balitanghali on Thursday.

In the Philippines, Napoles is facing five counts of the non-bailable offense of plunder and graft charges before six of the seven divisions of the anti-graft court, Sandiganbayan. She is detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

Paner, who was an organizer of the Million People March, is hoping that the fresh charges Napoles is facing in the US will finally pave the way for justice.

"Sana naman magbigay ito ng daan para makakuha tayo ng hustisya dito sa ating bayan tungkol sa napakaraming kaso na na-file na kay Janet Lim Napoles pero napakabagal ng pag-andar at ngayon itong pagkaso sa kanya at hindi lamang sa kanya, pati ang kanyang mga pamilya kasama at napakarami pang mambabatas," she said.

Asked if she prefers that Napoles is extradited in the US, Napoles answered "Oo," adding that it gave her hope that justice will finally be served because the justice system in the Philippines, she stressed, is discouraging.

"Ako ang feeling ko, baka nga naman mas may pag-asa. Kasi dito sa Pilipinas talagang paghihinaan ka ng loob eh. Kasi yung mga walang hiya sila ang namamayagag sa labas," she said.

"Kung makikita mo yung hustisya dito sa bayan makikita mo naman hindi siya patas," she added.

But Paner lamented how the pork barrel system allegedly still persists in government, with its name merely being changed.

"Nandiyan pa rin ang pork barrel system and in fact yang pork barrel system ang kadalasan dinadangle sa ating mga mambabatas kung kaya nakukuha nila at nagagawa nila ang kanilang mga gusto. Hindi siya nawala, nagiiba yung pangalan niya," she said.

"Siguro marami talagang Janet Lim Napoles. I'm sure marami pa sila," she added. — Jessica Bartolome/MDM, GMA News