Court upholds Napoles plunder conviction
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Mon, 01 Apr 2019 04:57:39 +0000
THE Sandiganbayan First Division denied businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles’ plea to reconsider her plunder conviction in connection with the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam.
In its resolution, the anti-graft court cited “overwhelming evidence” against Napoles and co-accused Richard Cambe which showed them to be the “main plunderers” in the case involving the illegal use of the PDAF or pork barrel of lawmakers.
Another co-accused, former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., was acquitted of the same charge for lack of evidence in a decision, which the Sandiganbayan promulgated on Dec. 7.
Finding Napoles and Cambe guilty beyond reasonable doubt of plunder, the two were sentenced to reclusion perpetua with perpetual absolute disqualification to hold any public office.
Napoles was then committed to the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong, and Cambe to the National Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa.
“The prosecution was able to prove in evidence that Napoles, although a private individual, not only deliberately performed acts that led to the series of misappropriation, conversion for personal gain or misuse of government funds, specifically the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. but also took part in the conception or ‘planning’ of how to divert the PDAF for private gain,” the court said in the resolution.
“Prosecution was able to satisfactorily prove that most, if not all, of the documentary preparation for the release and liquidation of the PDAF is in the control of the hands of movant Janet Lim Napoles,” it said. REINA C. TOLENTINO
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