The Justice department said Thursday the coverage of suspected pork-barrel-scam architect Janet Lim-Napoles in the government’s witness protection program will expire this month.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Napoles’ provisional coverage will end on May 26 after three months, since she was admitted to the program on Feb. 27.
“After that, we will reevaluate whether her admission in the WPP should be extended or terminated,” Guevarra said.
He said he would look into Napoles’ eligibility as a state witness in the pork-barrel cases based on the affidavit she submitted to the Justice department, where she had implicated more names in the controversy.
“Napoles’ provisional admission to the WPP covers security protection for witness duty only,” Guevarra said.
“Her request for transfer to a warehouse has been repeatedly denied by the Sandiganbayan, which has jurisdiction and control over her person.”
The Justice department placed Napoles under WPP coverage, but she remains in detention at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig and was not transferred to the custody of the program.
Under the Witness Protection Act, before a person is admitted into the WPP he or she should execute a sworn statement describing in detail the manner in which the offense was committed and his or her participation therein.
If, after the examination of his or her sworn statement and other relevant facts, and the department is satisfied that the requirements of the law and its implementing rules are met, then the applicant could be admitted into the WPP for full coverage with several financial benefits.
Among the requirements of the law for a WPP applicant to qualify as a state witness is that he or she must not be the most guilty of the crime committed.
Napoles had reportedly submitted an affidavit implicating several lawmakers and former executive officials , andreportedly including former budget secretary Florencio Abad.
She supposedly tagged Abad as her “mentor” or “instigator” of the scheme.
“‹
