PINAWALANG sala ng Court of Appeals (CA) ang tinaguriang reyna ng pork barrel scam na si Janet Lim-Napoles sa kasong serious illegal detention na inihain ng whistleblower na si Benhur Luy.
Sa 35-pahinang desisyon, sinabi ng CA 12th division na nabigo ang mga prosecutor na magpakita ng sapat na ebidensiya na magpapatunay na si Napoles ang nasa likod ng pagkakadetine ni Luy sa Bahay ni San Jose, isang retreat house sa Magallanes Village, Makati.
“From a careful review of the evidence at hand, we can neither infer nor establish from the acts of the accused-appellant any joint purpose and design, concerted action and community of interest to illegally detain Benhur,” sabi ni CA.
Idinagdag ng CA na batay sa testimonya nina Father Peter Edward Lavin at Monsignor Josefino Ramirez, hindi nagpahiwatig si Luy ng indikasyon na siya ay pinilit.
“Luy walking in front of the swimming pool, he was quite happy because he was talking to someone in the cellphone,” sabi ni Fr. Lavin.
Ayon pa sa CA, hindi rin tinangka ni Luy na tumakas sa kabila ng kanyang sitwasyon.
“Despite the fact that Benhur called and updated his family from time to time, he never mentioned anything about being detained forcefully. In several instances, he even met with his family and yet never showed any sign that he was being kept in Bahay ni San Jose against his will,” ayon pa sa CA.
Sa kabila ng desisyon ng CA, mananatili pa rin si Napoles sa kulungan sa harap ng maraming plunder na kinakaharap.
Si Associate Justice Normandie B. Pizarro ang nagponente sa desisyon ng CA na sinuportahan naman nina Associate Justices Samuel H. Gaerlan at Jhosep Y. Lopez.