BJMP displaces sick detainees to make room for Gigi and Janet

Janet Napoles arrives in Bicutan.

Janet Napoles arrives in Bicutan.

While everybody was trying to recover from the emotional performance of President Aquino in his 5th State-of-the-Nation address Monday night, pork barrel queen Janet Napoles was brought to Camp Bagong Diwa jail of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Bicutan,Taguig.

Reports said Napoles arrived at Bicutan from Fort Sto. Domingo, a police camp in Sta. Rosa City , Laguna where she has been detained since March 31, at 11:15 p.m.

Napoles has been charged with graft, plunder and serious illegal detention in connection with the misuse of the multi-billion Priority Development Assistance involving three senators – Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Revilla, members of their staff and other personalities.

She joined at the BJMP co-accused Atty. Gigi Reyes, former chief-of-staff of Enrile.

Enrile is in hospital detention at the PNP Hospital in Camp Crame. Estrada and Revilla are detained at the Camp Crame Custodial Center. All three are charged with graft and plunder.

A source at Camp Bagong Diwa jail said as of yesterday, “ both Gigi and Janet are staying at the air-conditioned area near the warden’s office at the ground floor.”

Gigi Reyes panics upon arrival at Bicutan.

Gigi Reyes panics upon arrival at Bicutan.

The source said the infirmary at the fourth floor is currently being renovated for Reyes and Napoles. “It will be turned into an isolation room for political prisoners.”

Wait a minute. Reyes and Napoles are charged with plunder and graft. Those are not political crimes like rebellion or sedition. They are not political prisoners.

The source said the renovation of the infirmary started before the arrival of Reyes from a temporary detention at the Sandiganbayan.

The infirmary renovation displaced detainees who are confined there. Since all the cells are almost filled some are sleeping on the floor or on benches, the source said. “Among those sleeping on the floor is a patient sick of tuberculosis. A pregnant woman who is complaining of spotting sleeps on benches which she joined together.”

The source also said the infirmary had a toilet without toilet bowl. “Now they are installing a toilet bowl.”

On the ground floor of BJMP are offices. The second and third floors are male dormitories.

The fourth floor is the female dormitory which houses 138 high profile and high-risk detainees, including female guerillas of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) captured during the Zamboanga City siege, foreigners, Abu Sayyaf and NPA rebels and other high risk detainees.

They are divided into four cells with triple deck beds.

It will be recalled that Reyes suffered a panic attack the first time she was brought to Camp Bagong Diwa last July 10 upon learning that she would be placed in a cell with nine NPA rebels.

BJMP jail in Bicutan.

BJMP jail in Bicutan.

Napoles was reported to have cried when she heard the order of Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang to transfer her to Camp Bagong Diwa.

In a July 24 resolution, the Sandiganbayan Third Division headed by Tang said the rule for persons charged with plunder, a non-bailable offense, is detained at the a jail nearest the court. “The PNP Special Action Force Training school in Fort Sto. Domingo, Sta. Rosa City in Laguna is not under the jurisdiction of the BJMP, hence it is not a jail.”

Maybe the BJMP administrators are trying to give humane treatment to Reyes and Napoles while they are still on trial.

But humane treatment should not be limited to the two. It should be given to each and every detainee, whatever their status in society.

No one should be thrown to the floor to give the bed to someone who has more money, especially if it’s money stolen from the Filipino people.

The return of Gigi Reyes

This is going to be fascinating.

Will she stand by or turn against JPE?

Will she stand by or turn against JPE?

Atty. Gigi Reyes, former chief of staff of Sen. Juan Ponce-Enrile who is included among those accused of plunder in connection with the misuse of Priority Development Assistance Fund, came back last Saturday.

Reyes left last August when her name came up as one of those who were dealing directly with pork barrel operator Janet Napoles . She was reported to have gone to Macau, then to other countries.

In the resolution approved last April 1, the Ombudsman said they found probable cause for Enrile ,Reyes, Napoles, Ruby Tuason, Ronald John Lim, and Raymond de Asis to have committed plunder.

Plunder is punishable by lifetime imprisonment and forfeiture of ill-gotten wealth in favor of government.
The Ombudsman also found cause to indict Reyes together with Enrile and others for 15 counts of violation of Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act).

Corrupt practices under R.A. 3019 is punishable by imprisonment of not less than six years and one month to 15 years, perpetual disqualification from public office and forfeiture in favor of government of ill-gotten wealth.
Reyes was quoted to have said upon her arrival, “I’m ready to face the charges. I’ve always faced it.”

Disclosure: In the course of my work as journalist, I have dealt with Reyes a number of times. She was the one who facilitated by interview with Enrile for a magazine in 2006.

On a personal matter, she had favorably acted on my request for help for a journalist friend whose husband was confined at the Philippine General Hospital. She facilitated the allotment of Enrile’s PDAF for the cost of the treatment of my friend’s husband at the PGH.

In January 2013, at the height of the controversy of Enrile’s selective giving of bonuses to senators (Enrile was then the Senate President), Reyes called me up to explain their side. The four who were not given the P1.6 million each bonus were Senators Antonio Trillanes IV, Alan Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, and Miriam Santiago.

My last talk with Reyes was during a birthday party of a common friend. She said that she wanted to resign as JPE’s chief of staff but the senator would not accept it.

The next thing I heard of her, she had left the country.

Now that she is back, everybody’s question is, “Will she turn state witness?”

Santiago, who considers Enrile a nemesis, urged Reyes to turn state witness. “She will be acquitted of a crime and at the same time clear her reputation, “she said adding that if JPE’s former chief of staff did that, “Enrile’s goose is cooked.”

While Reyes was away, she came out with an emotional statement bemoaning the media attacks on her. But, she said, “The worst blow has just been dealt upon me by no less than the camp of senator Juan Ponce Enrile- the man I served with full dedication, honesty and loyalty for 25 years.”

She said a certain Atty. Enrique dela Cruz has been telling people that she acted without the approval of Enrile on the PDAF transactions.

She said she could not believe it because “The last time I spoke to the Senator from abroad, he maintained that he will stand by the authority he issued to me and that all that I did was faithful and pursuant to his instructions. He even told me to be strong; that we will fight together to prove the accusations against us are false and fabricated.”

Reyes said she earned the ire of some people “by and large because and in defense of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile.”

“If indeed these statements are sanctioned by or coming from my former boss, then nothing can be worse than this kind of travesty and betrayal, “she said.

A number of people were skeptical about the “falling out” of Enrile and Reyes. It could all be a legal strategy, some say.

Abangan.

The return of Gigi Reyes

This is going to be fascinating.

Will she stand by or turn against JPE?

Will she stand by or turn against JPE?

Atty. Gigi Reyes, former chief of staff of Sen. Juan Ponce-Enrile who is included among those accused of plunder in connection with the misuse of Priority Development Assistance Fund, came back last Saturday.

Reyes left last August when her name came up as one of those who were dealing directly with pork barrel operator Janet Napoles . She was reported to have gone to Macau, then to other countries.

In the resolution approved last April 1, the Ombudsman said they found probable cause for Enrile ,Reyes, Napoles, Ruby Tuason, Ronald John Lim, and Raymond de Asis to have committed plunder.

Plunder is punishable by lifetime imprisonment and forfeiture of ill-gotten wealth in favor of government.
The Ombudsman also found cause to indict Reyes together with Enrile and others for 15 counts of violation of Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act).

Corrupt practices under R.A. 3019 is punishable by imprisonment of not less than six years and one month to 15 years, perpetual disqualification from public office and forfeiture in favor of government of ill-gotten wealth.
Reyes was quoted to have said upon her arrival, “I’m ready to face the charges. I’ve always faced it.”

Disclosure: In the course of my work as journalist, I have dealt with Reyes a number of times. She was the one who facilitated by interview with Enrile for a magazine in 2006.

On a personal matter, she had favorably acted on my request for help for a journalist friend whose husband was confined at the Philippine General Hospital. She facilitated the allotment of Enrile’s PDAF for the cost of the treatment of my friend’s husband at the PGH.

In January 2013, at the height of the controversy of Enrile’s selective giving of bonuses to senators (Enrile was then the Senate President), Reyes called me up to explain their side. The four who were not given the P1.6 million each bonus were Senators Antonio Trillanes IV, Alan Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, and Miriam Santiago.

My last talk with Reyes was during a birthday party of a common friend. She said that she wanted to resign as JPE’s chief of staff but the senator would not accept it.

The next thing I heard of her, she had left the country.

Now that she is back, everybody’s question is, “Will she turn state witness?”

Santiago, who considers Enrile a nemesis, urged Reyes to turn state witness. “She will be acquitted of a crime and at the same time clear her reputation, “she said adding that if JPE’s former chief of staff did that, “Enrile’s goose is cooked.”

While Reyes was away, she came out with an emotional statement bemoaning the media attacks on her. But, she said, “The worst blow has just been dealt upon me by no less than the camp of senator Juan Ponce Enrile- the man I served with full dedication, honesty and loyalty for 25 years.”

She said a certain Atty. Enrique dela Cruz has been telling people that she acted without the approval of Enrile on the PDAF transactions.

She said she could not believe it because “The last time I spoke to the Senator from abroad, he maintained that he will stand by the authority he issued to me and that all that I did was faithful and pursuant to his instructions. He even told me to be strong; that we will fight together to prove the accusations against us are false and fabricated.”

Reyes said she earned the ire of some people “by and large because and in defense of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile.”

“If indeed these statements are sanctioned by or coming from my former boss, then nothing can be worse than this kind of travesty and betrayal, “she said.

A number of people were skeptical about the “falling out” of Enrile and Reyes. It could all be a legal strategy, some say.

Abangan.