Napoles camp considers "tell-all" testimony
The legal counsel of Janet Lim Napoles is considering the suggestion of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago to execute a deposition of her knowledge on the pork barrel scam even before a trial is held.
Lorna Kapunan, lawyer of Napoles, said the process called “perpetuation of testimony” is a “good idea” given the threats to her clients life.
"Not only were we thinking of perpetuation of testimony, but also we were thinking of modes of discovery,” Legal counsel of Napoles, Kapunan said in an interview with ANC’s Headstart.
"Allegations in media or press statements of the (Justice) Secretary or the Ombudsman is not the formal complaint that’s why although we appreciate the suggestion of the Senator, really we were intending to do that precisely because of the real threats on her life.”
But Kapunan said they cannot execute a deposition because “there is no complaint to speak of.”
“Kasi in a complaint there is the complaint and there is the answer or there is the affidavit of the state and there is the counter affidavit. How can we perpetuate testimony if we don't know what the complaint is all about?"
Meanwhile, Kapunan claimed that the 17 witnesses and former employees of JLN Corporation who came forward against Napoles were threatened with arrest.
"We also have testimonies of other employees, I have the text messages. ‘Dalawang araw na lang at kayo ay ma-wa-warrant of arrest’. That is the threat to the employees because the employees do not understand what plunder is all about."
Napoles is the alleged operator of the multi-billion pork barrel scam where in pork of lawmakers were funnel to her bogus Non-Government Organizations (NGO).
She is also facing a serious illegal detention charged by Benhur Luy, former employee and key whistleblower of the pork scam.
Napoles surrendered to the President Wednesday night last week, after being at large two weeks following the arrest warrant issued against her and her brother Reynald Lim.
Kapunan insisted, there were no conditions for her surrender to the President but to keep her alive. Speculations are rife that there was a deal between the two when Napoles had a closed-door meeting with the President on the night she surrendered. Kapunan maintained, they just want Napoles’ safety.
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More of Headstart here.
