(Eagle News)—-The Supreme Court has re-affirmed Janet Lim Napoles should not be granted bail.
In a six-page resolution promulgated on Feb. 6, the SC said Napoles’ argument she should be given temporary liberty like former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was “unmeritorious.”
The Feb. 6 resolution stems from Napoles’ December 20 appeal of the High Court’s decision upholding the Sandiganbayan’s denial of her bail.
In her December 20 appeal, Napoles noted the SC reversed the Sandiganbayan’s denial of the demurrer to evidence of Arroyo, who was eventually acquitted of plunder in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
A demurrer to evidence is a motion aimed at dismissing a case based on insufficient evidence provided by the prosecution.
But in the Feb. 6 resolution, the SC said “there was a final determination of former President GMA’s innocence of the crime charged,” something that was not applicable to Napoles.
“It was sufficient that the denial of her bail application was based on evidence establishing a great presumption of guilt on the part of Napoles,” the SC said.
Napoles is detained in Camp Bagong Diwa for her alleged role in the pork barrel scam.
She has been provisionally admitted to the Witness Protection Program.
The Department of Justice said, however, that it had yet to assess Napoles’ affidavit before deciding to give her full coverage.
