Fil-Ams see Napoles surrender a step in right direction

LOS ANGELES - Hours after President Aquino placed a P10 million bounty on alleged pork barrel mastermind Janet Napoles, Malacanang announced the wealthy business woman turned herself in on Wednesday evening.

Two weeks ago, a warrant was issued for her and her brother, Reynald Lim, for the illegal detention of their cousin Benhur Luy.

Luy is believed to have blown the whistle on Napoles' alleged scam which involved taking pork barrel funds from lawmakers and putting them into bogus organizations.

The scam prompted Filipinos from all over the world to launch protests earlier this week and has made the Philippine government consider procedures regarding public funds.

The same Filipino activists that rallied at a Napoles property over the weekend were at a human rights protest on Wednesday morning as they welcomed the development.

"Napoles turning herself in is really one step in us recognizing how large the system of corruption is," said Theresa Jaranilla, regional coordinator of Bayan-USA.

"It's a positive step that Napoles has surrendered but I think people still need to be vigilant and remember we're calling for an abolishing the entire pork barrel system especially the president's," added Eric Tandoc, secretary general of Anakbayan.

Filipinos believe this is a step in the right direction and are hoping Napoles will eventually spill the beans on which politicians may have been involved.

They believe despite Aquino's bounty, the president must still abolish the pork barrel system including his own.

"Her turning herself into Aquino you can see Aquino might use it to make people think he's on the side of the people. But we need to remember he has the biggest pork barrel that needs to be abolished," said Tandoc.

The arrest warrant is only for the illegal detention charges. No charges have been filed in the pork barrel scheme as probes continue.

Malacanang offered no word on the progress with Napoles' brother.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Napoles firm owns US$7M inn near Disneyland

CALIFORNIA - With the alleged pork barrel scam dominating Philippine headlines, the attention is also shifting to Orange County.

Less than a mile away from the happiest place on earth, Disneyland, is the Anaheim Express Inn. Valued at about $7 million, the listed owner is Western Investment Corporation which according to Anaheim Public Records lists Reynald Lim, and James and Jo Christine Napoles as owners.

The three are also attached to Western Ventures Management whose mailing address is the same at the Anaheim Express Inn.

The hotel's general manager refused to reveal who the owners were and said she worked at the hotel through a management company.

She would not give the name of the management company.

The company purchased the hotel for $7 million in 2006, and is currently valued at $7.4 million.

Records also show that in 2007, Reynald Luy Lim bought a $1.4 million home in the affluent Canyon View gated community in Irvine.

The directory shows that an R Lim does live in the compound. However, the residence phone could not be reached when dialed.

The same Lim-Napoles-linked companies are also connected to a commercial property in the Los Angeles County City of Covina.

Western Ventures has owned the property since 2007 and once housed a preschool. The property seems to be vacant as of now.

In the meantime, during an attempted visit to Jeane's Ritz Carlton residence condo, a male voice connected thru the front desk's phone claimed that she has not lived there for about 6 months, and would not elaborate if he knew Jeane.

Records indicate Jeane is still the owner of the unit while sources within the building say she has been spotted in the past few weeks.

The unit was purchased in 2011 for $1.2 million.

Napoles has defended her daughter, saying the success of the family's international businesses, and not public funds, have helped pay for Jeane's extravagant Ritz Carlton condominium and Porsche.

Napoles is believed to own at least 20 more properties and condominiums throughout the Philippines.

The investigation into the Lim-Napoles wealth is ongoing. Napoles has gone on record throughout the controversy saying she's ready to prove her assets were obtained by legit money.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com