DOJ gives 7-day ultimatum to Napoles' daughter

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday gave the daughter of jailed businesswoman Janet Napoles a seven-day deadline to answer the tax evasion charge filed against her by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

The DOJ's Panel of Prosecutors gave Jeane Napoles, daughter of the alleged pork barrel scam mastermind, has until December 17 to submit her counter-affidavit to the tax evasion complaint.

The panel issued the order after the younger Napoles failed to attend Tuesday's preliminary investigation.

During the hearing, the younger Napoles' lawyer, Romero Villarta, appeared on her behalf. The lawyer, however, did not have a written authority from the respondent.

The BIR filed a P32-million tax evasion case against the younger Napoles for taxable years 2011 and 2012.

It said that despite having no known source of income, Jeane was able to purchase properties including a condominium unit at Ritz Carlton in California, United States, and a property in Bayambang, Pangasinan.

During the same hearing, the lawyer of the businesswoman and her husband, Jaime Napoles, said that the prosecution panel received their joint counter-affidavit last December 5. The affidavit was subscribed in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, where Napoles is detained for the serious illegal detention charge filed against her by her cousin, Benhur Luy.