MANILA, Philippines - The alleged mastermind of the P10-billion pork barrel scam is still here in the country, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Tuesday.
De Lima said at a televised press briefing that they have not yet received reports or indications that businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles and her brother have already fled to other countries.
"All existing leads na nakakalap ng [National Bureau of Investigation] ngayon point to the fact that they are still here but they are hiding," De Lima said during the press briefing of the Inter-Agency Graft Coordinating Council (IAGCC).
The now fugitive Napoles has been accused of setting up bogus non-government organizations (NGOs) that received lawmakers' pork barrel amounting to P10 billion in the past 10 years.
A report by the Commission on Audit last week revealed that some NGOs linked to Napoles received the pork barrel of lawmakers from 2007 to 2009.
Related story: COA confirms 10 Napoles NGOs got P2-B 'pork'
Arrest warrants were issued against Napoles and her brother in connection with the illegal detention case filed by her former employee and pork barrel scam whistleblower Benhur Luy.
Napoles and her brother have eluded arrest and remain at large, prompting authorities to urge to the public to carry out a "citizen's arrest" of the embattled businesswoman.
De Lima had said that all regional and field offices of the National Bureau of Investigation have been alerted to help the agency's special teams tasked for Napoles' arrest.