FILE PHOTO: PDAF Scam suspect Janet Lim Napoles in one of her attended hearings. (Photoville International)
MANILA, Philippines — Janet Lim Napoles will still have to regularly attend her bail petition hearing before the Sandiganbayan 3rd division that handles her plunder case in relation to the PDAF Scam.
This is after the court denied her request for waiver of appearance in the succeeding hearings.
Napoles complained that she is experiencing physical and mental fatigue every time she travels from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Taguig to the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City.
She added that BJMP is also spending too much for 43 thousand pesos per travel.
Napoles also said that based on the rules of court, the presence of the accused is required in court only during arraignment, promulgation and identification of the accused.
Prosecution rebutted napoles arguments and said these are not valid reasons.
For this, the court backed the prosecution and denied Napoles’ motion for lack of merit.
Meanwhile, the Sandiganbayan 3rd Division received on Thursday the letter signed by 16 senators requesting house arrest for Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile.
The court only noted the request.
According to 3rd Division Clerk of Court Atty Dennis Pulma, the court cannot act on the letter because there has not been any formal motion filed by the lawyers of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile. (JOYCE BALANCIO / UNTV News)