No US request for Napoles’ extradition, says justice chief
THE United States’ Department of Justice (DOJ) has not requested the extradition of the alleged mastermind in the misuse of Philippine public funds in connection with her money laundering cases in the US, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevara said on Monday.
“As of this time, there is no such formal request [for extradition]made by the US Department of Justice,” Guevarra said in response to a query by Rep. Gary Alejano of Magdalo party-list on the status of Janet Lim-Napoles, who is facing charges here over the P10 billion scam involving the Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) or pork barrel of lawmakers that were channeled to bogus non-government organizations (NGOs).
Guevarra is at the House of Representatives where he presented the proposed 2019 budget of the Department of Justice (DOJ) before the appropriations committee, days after an American federal grand jury indicted Napoles; her children Jo Christine, James Christopher and Jeane Catherine; her brother Reynaldo and his wife Ana Marie for alleged conspiracy to commit money laundering, domestic money laundering and international money laundering.
“What we did is we have been sharing information and documents [to them American authorities]in building up a case for money laundering and other fraudulent activities. We have been closely advised on the progress of the case build up, and we have been informed of their move to indict Janet Napoles and her family [members],” Guevarra said.
Napoles, who is detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, is facing trial before the Sandiganbayan for multiple plunder and graft in connection with the P10 billion pork barrel scam. LLANESCA PANTI
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