MANILA – (UPDATE 11:34PM) Janet Lim Napoles, the alleged brains behind the P10-billion ‘pork barrel scam’, has surrendered to authorities Wednesday evening, Malacañang said.
In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said Napoles surrendered to President Benigno S. Aquino III at 9:37 p.m. She is wanted on charges of serious illegal detention of a former associate turned whistleblower, Benhur Luy.
Aquino turned over Napoles to the custody of the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police chief for processing and booking.
Napoles’ surrender came on the same day that President Benigno Aquino III announced a P10-million bounty for her arrest. The businesswoman and her brother, Reynald Lim, went into hiding two weeks ago after a Makati trial court issued a warrant for their arrest on serious illegal detention charges filed by Luy, who blew the whistle on the scam.
Her surrender also came on the eve of the start of a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing into the pork barrel scam, which starts on Thursday.
With a report from PNA