MANILA – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has launched a nationwide search for businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles and her brother Reynald "Jojo" Lim who were indicted for serious illegal detention of whistleblower Benhur Luy.
NBI spokesperson Cecilio Zamora said all provincial divisions of the bureau were ordered to watch out for Lim and Napoles.
Four NBI teams were earlier deployed to serve the warrants of arrest for the two.
As of posting, the arrest warrants have yet to be served as the two remain at large.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said a case was filed before a Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Tuesday against Napoles and Lim for kidnapping Luy last December.
The case was raffled off to Branch 150 Judge Elmo Alameda. De Lima said no bail was recommended by the court.
Luy claimed that Napoles and Lim detained him for about three months in an effort to prevent him from spilling the beans on their alleged involvement in the Malampaya fund scam.
Luy was eventually rescued by an NBI team in March this year.
De Lima earlier clarified no one has been charged yet for the pork barrel scam, wherein Napoles has also been tagged.
"We are committed to continue with investigation into the pork barrel scam (and) Malampaya fund scam," she told ANC on Wednesday night.
She said the illegal detention charges against Napoles and Lim were filed after a DOJ resolution overturned an earlier resolution dated June 10, 2013 that junked the case filed by the NBI against the two.
Luy also claimed that Napoles set up more than 20 fake NGOs and foundations, and used the names of household helpers, drivers, relatives, and employees to get billions of pesos from lawmakers' pork barrel funds.
He said Napoles now has so much money that she has bought more than 50 house and lots at high-end subdivisions and owns 15 luxury vehicles.
The Napoles camp has denied Luy's allegations
