Jeane Napoles, daughter of pork barrel scam suspect Janet Lim Napoles (UNTV News)
Manila, Philippines — Jeane Napoles, the daughter of alleged pork barrel scam queen Janet Lim Napoles, faced the Court of Tax Appeals for the first time today.
Heavily guarded and with her face covered, she avoided all media interviews regarding her tax evasion case.
Her counsel Atty. Stephen David said she had to appear in court today to convince the justices to lift the bench warrant of arrest issued against her.
The warrant was due to her failure to appear on her scheduled arraignment last week before the Court of Tax Appeals 3rd Division.
The court accepted her explanation and granted the lifting of the bench warrant of arrest without having to pay another bail bond.
Her legal counsel explained, they advised Jeane not to appear anymore in court as there were pending motions that the court needs to resolve first.
Atty. David said, “In my two decades of practice pagkaganoon kasi ang proseso ma-ka-cancel naman iyon eh. Pero sabi ni justice huwag mo kaming pangunahan. Kaya ako humihingi naman ng paumanhin dahil sa pinangunahan ko ang husgado.”
(In my two decades of practice, usually it gets cancelled. But the justice reminded me not to be presumptuous. That’s why I apologized for thinking way ahead of what might happen in court)
Jeane Napoles’ camp insisted that the tax evasion cases filed against her have no basis.
Her legal counsel explained that she was just a student and didn’t have income. She studied in the United States of America without a working visa.
Jeane Napoles is facing two counts of tax evasion amounting to more than 17 million pesos.
She became famous after a video showing what appeared to be her luxurious lifestyle in america became viral in media.
According to Atty. Stephen David although Jeane is currently working as a model in America, she will temporarily stay in the Philippines as she needs to appear before the court of tax appeals on May 27 for her scheduled arraignment. (JOYCE BALANCIO/UNTV NEWS)