MANILA, Philippines - A former housemaid of alleged pork barrel scam brains Janet Lim-Napoles has been ordered released from the custody of the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) following a Makati court’s ruling acquitting her of qualified theft.
PAO chief Persida Rueda-Acosta said Judge Carlito Calpatura of the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 145 dismissed with finality the case against Dominga Cadelina on Nov. 26 after Napoles’ husband Jaime and her brother Reynald Lim – the complainants in the case – did not file an appeal to contest the court’s decision.
“As there was no appeal made on the decision to dismiss the case, the court issued its entry of judgment and ruled with finality that she should be released from jail,†Acosta, who served as Cadelina’s lawyer, said in a telephone interview.
She said Cadelina is still staying in a PAO safehouse.
She worked as a house helper for the Napoles family for 10 years.
She was jailed in February last year after the complainants accused her of stealing Janet’s clothes, underwear and two handbags.
Cadelina, 56, walked out of the Makati City Jail on Oct. 4, 2013 after the Makati court dismissed the complaint filed against her for lack of evidence.