MANILA, Philippines - Janet Lim Napoles, the alleged pork barrel scam queen has been sentenced to life in prison or reclusion perpetua equivalent to 40 years' imprisonment as ordered by the Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Tuesday afternoon, April 14.
Janet Napoles was found guilty according to the court’s Branch 150 for the illegal detention of her cousin Benhur Luy, the government's main witness in the scam.
The court also ordered immediate transfer of Napoles from Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig to Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong.
Meanwhile, Napoles' lawyer Bruce Rivera in an interview with dzMM said their camp is yet to receive the commitment order but added that the “place of detention” is a “dilemma."
Aside from imposing the penalty of a 40-year jail term, the Makati City RTC Branch ordered Napoles to pay P50,000 in civil damages and P50,000 in moral damages.
The court said the prosecution provided strong evidence proving that Napoles and her brother Reynald Luy Lim detained Luy against his will between December 2012 to March 2013, until he was rescued by National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents.
Napoles was in court this morning when Judge Elmo Alameda read the decision.
Rivera said they will file an appeal or a motion for reconsideration to the higher court.
WATCH: Janet Napoles sentenced for illegal detention case (video courtesy of ABS-CBN News)
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| Janet Lim Napoles listens to Makati RTC's verdict on her illegal detention case | Credit: Interaksyon.com |
Janet Napoles was found guilty according to the court’s Branch 150 for the illegal detention of her cousin Benhur Luy, the government's main witness in the scam.
The court also ordered immediate transfer of Napoles from Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig to Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong.
Meanwhile, Napoles' lawyer Bruce Rivera in an interview with dzMM said their camp is yet to receive the commitment order but added that the “place of detention” is a “dilemma."
Aside from imposing the penalty of a 40-year jail term, the Makati City RTC Branch ordered Napoles to pay P50,000 in civil damages and P50,000 in moral damages.
The court said the prosecution provided strong evidence proving that Napoles and her brother Reynald Luy Lim detained Luy against his will between December 2012 to March 2013, until he was rescued by National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents.
Napoles was in court this morning when Judge Elmo Alameda read the decision.
Rivera said they will file an appeal or a motion for reconsideration to the higher court.
WATCH: Janet Napoles sentenced for illegal detention case (video courtesy of ABS-CBN News)
