Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 18) — Pork barrel scandal principal suspect Janet Lim Napoles is planning to file a new bail application following the release of former Senator Jinggoy Estrada from detention.
Napoles is Estrada’s co-accused in plunder ang graft cases before the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division over the alleged pork barrel scam.
Her lawyer, Dennis Buenaventura, said the Fifth Division’s decision is favorable to Napoles’s cases.
“Matagal na namin inaargue yan eh yung the nature of the information does not really amount to plunder, yung nature ng kung sino main plunderer, maganda lang dahil luminaw na dun sa GMA (former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) case,” Buenaventura said.
In a September 15 ruling, the Fifth Division allowed Estrada to post bail saying prosecutors failed to identify him as the “main plunderer” in the alleged fraud.
The Supreme Court used the “main plunderer” concept in its ruling acquitting the former president of plunder for allegedly misusing state lottery funds.
State prosecutors handling Estrada’s pork barrel cases will appeal the decision that allowed the former senator to post bail.
“May good grounds kami so i hope mareverse yung kanyang pag grant ng bail,” Director Ma. Christina Batacal of the Office of the Special Prosecutor said.
Napoles is facing five plunder cases before different divisions of the Sandiganbayan over the pork barrel scam. She was allowed to post bail in two of these cases. Napoles has previously filed bail petitions before the Fifth, Third, and 1st division for plunder cases related to the alleged pork barrel scam. These petitiones have been denied.
