Cops to secure Janet in court

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police (PNP) is ready to secure the arraignment of Janet Lim-Napoles at the Makati Regional Trial Court tomorrow, its spokesman said yesterday.

Napoles, the center of controversy over the pork barrel scam involving lawmakers, is facing charges of serious illegal detention filed by her cousin-turned-whistle-blower Benhur Luy.

“Yes. Very ready,” PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac said.

Sindac said security for the arraignment would be headed by Senior Superintendent Noli Taliño, who is taking over from Chief Superintendent Carmelo Valmoria, commander of the PNP Special Action Force (SAF), now heading the police contingent in the crisis in Zamboanga City.

The SAF is responsible for the security of Napoles now detained at Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Sindac, however, refused to reveal the extent of the police preparation for the arraignment of Napoles, scheduled at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow.

“All security operations for this will be spearheaded by the PNP-SAF. Suffice it to say, all other information are sensitive operational data. Hence, they are classified. The SAF is testing all sorts of combinations based on all possible scenarios earlier discussed in yesterday’s (Friday’s) meeting,” he said.

Sindac said Taliño is taking a full “hands-on” check by “running through the different aspects of the whole engagement.”

The same readiness was also expressed by the Makati police, tasked to secure the Makati City Hall building where the courtrooms are located.

Makati police chief Senior Superintendent Manuel Lukban said a dry run was held yesterday to test the security plan.

As part of the security complement, the Makati police would deploy its SWAT team as well as K-9 units around and within the city hall building and grounds, Lukban said.

He said the Makati police would support the SAF in securing the perimeters of the courtroom where Napoles will be arraigned.

The Makati court on Friday denied the motions for reconsideration filed by Napoles and ordered the arraignment to proceed as scheduled.

Napoles’ co-accused in the case, her brother Reynald Lim, remains at large.