Two Napoles children to face raps in pork scam

A Sandiganbayan special division has found probable cause to try two of detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles' children for graft in connection with the alleged pork barrel scam.

In a decision promulgated Monday, Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, along with Associate Justices Samuel Martires, Alex Quiroz, Jose Hernandez and Maria Cristina Cornejo, affirmed that Jo Christine and James Christopher Napoles had a hand in the scam that their mother allegedly masterminded.

Meanwhile, the anti-graft court cleared Napoles’ driver, Fernando Ramirez, due to insufficiency of evidence.

“After further considering the records of these cases, and due deliberations, the court finds the existence of probable cause against the said accused except for accused Fernando Ramirez,” the three-page resolution said.

According to the affidavit of the whistleblowers, the Napoles siblings were both officials of their mother's JLN Corp., which was allegedly used in the scam.

Merlina Suñas, one of the whistleblowers in the case, said the siblings were among those who forged signatures of the beneficiaries of projects supposedly funded by the pork barrel of several lawmakers.

The court has set the arraignment of Napoles’ children on October 13.

Other than Jo Christine and James Christopher, seven others will be arraigned for graft charges, namely:

– Margarita Guaninez, accountant;
– Dorilyn Fabian, incorporator and secretary (Agrikultura Para sa Magbubukid Foundation Inc.);
– Amparo Fernandez, incorporator and secretary (Countrywide Agri and Rural Economic Development Foundation)
– Jesus Castillo, incorporator and treasurer (Peoples’ Organization for Progress and Development)
– Renato Ornopia, Masaganang Ani para sa Magsasaka Foundation
Aileen Palama, Countrywide Agri and Rural Economic Development Foundation

Napoles, currently detained in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City while facing a separate a separate serious illegal detention case, has been charged with graft and plunder in connection with the supposed scam.

Napoles' co-accused included three senators — Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, and Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. They are detained inside Camp Crame.

All four have denied the charges filed against them. —KBK, GMA News