Priest: Luy not detained, went on spiritual retreat

MANILA, Philippines - The defense panel in the bail petition hearing of businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles on Wednesday presented as their witness a priest who claims that whistleblower Benhur Luy was not illegally detained but had spent a spiritual retreat at the house in Magallanes Village reportedly owned by Napoles.

Taking the witness standbefore the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150, Fr. Peter Edward Lavin, 53, of the Alagad ni Maria Seminary in Antipolo, testified that on Dec. 20, 2012, after saying Mass at the Heritage Park in Taguig for the birthday of Napoles' late mother, Magdalena, he was approached by Napoles' brother and co-accused, Reynald Lim.

Lavin told the court that Lim had asked for his help saying that Luy wanted to undergo a religious renewal for alleged drug addiction and involvement in an alleged anomalous loan.

"After the Mass, Reynald approached me and told me that Benhur wanted a spiritual retreat for drug addiction and anomalies for a loan that the company was not aware of," said Lavin.

Lavin told the court that he offered a retreat house adjacent to their seminary in Antipolo for Luy's retreat. Lavin also told the court that he also offered to act as Luy's spiritual adviser during his retreat.

However, Lavin said Luy did not appear at the Antipolo retreat house. He told the court he later learned that Luy chose to go instead to the "Bahay ni San Jose" located at 52 Lapu Lapu St. in Magallanes Village in Makati with Monsignor Josefino Ramirez as his retreat master.

"Monsi (Ramirez) told me that Benhur has already started his spiritual counselling with him," said Lavin.

Lavin told the court that he saw Benhur last Dec. 26 walking at the house's garden and praying. In another visit, he again saw Benhur praying at the house's chapel and was even seen later talking with someone on a mobile phone.

"He was quite happy because he was talking with someone on a cellphone," he said.

Lavin told the court that he was not aware that Benhur was being held against his will as they would greet each other whenever he would visit the Magallanes house.

"I just said hello and he said he was okay," he said. Lavin said he visited the Magallanes house six times since Dec. 26, 2012.

During his cross-examination, Lavin told Prosecutor Christoper Garvida that he does not know Napoles personally. Lavin said he would just sometimes help Monsignor Ramirez say Mass at Napoles' office or at her mother's mausoleum.

But Garvida said Lavin was an incorporator of the JLN Corp.

"If you don't her well, how come you became an incorporator of JLN Corp?" Garvida said.

"I don't know," Lavin said.

Lavin admitted that he visited Napoles at her detention in Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa last Monday and informed her that he would be testifying in her illegal detention case.

Lavin said he told Napoles that he would just be repeating what he had stated in his April 15, 2013 affidavit.

"I told her I was testifying. I told her what I had executed in my affidavit," he said.

Lavin also told the court that he was convinced that Benhur was in need of spiritual retreat after Reynald Lim showed him photos of Benhur in "sexy" poses.

Under questionning by Garvida however, Lavin said the photos were not that scandalous.

Earlier in the day, Benhur again took the witness stand for the resumption of his cross-examination.

At the witness stand, Luy was grilled by Villamor on his court statements which were not stated in his three sworn statements dated Match 23, 2013; March 27, 2013 and April 23, 2013.

Luy answered that he was advised by his lawyer Levito Baligod to only state in the sworn statements the important details and just narrate the other details when he testifies.

During the redirect questionning, Prosecutor Henry Salazar asked Luy on the nature of the business he had intended to put up before he was detained.

Luy told the court that before he was detained, he had planned to start his own 'network' and businesses similar to Napoles'.

"Transactions din sa gobyerno pero legal. I planned to supply items to the government but not overpriced," he said.

Luy said unlike Napoles' business which involved the forgery of signatures and ghosts deleveries, his business would be legal.

After the termination of the testimonies of Luy and Lavin, the prosecution and defense lawyers then made their respective formal offer of evidence.

After accpeting the evidence presented by the prosecution and defense lawyers, Judge Alameda ruled that Napoles' petition to post bail is now up for the court's resolution.