MANILA – Contrary to what Janet Lim Napoles told reporters on Friday, the alleged pork barrel scam mastermind’s daughter, Jeane, is in the Philippines, based on the travel records of the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
READ: Jeane Napoles set to be in PH for ‘vacation’ next week
The older Napoles said during an off-camera interview after her petition for bail hearing on Friday that Jeane will be arriving from the US next week.
Reporters covering her trial asked Napoles about an online report which said that Jeane was supposedly dining at a restaurant in a hotel in Pasay City.
Napoles claimed her daughter is still in the US and will arrive next week for a vacation. She also said Jeane is scheduled to visit her at her detention facility inside Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig.
But in a press statement Friday, BI spokesperson Elaine Tan said Jeane Catherine was in the country and “was allowed entry because there was no legal basis to prevent her entry into country.”
Jeane became controversial when photos and videos of her lavish lifestyle circulated on the web. She now faces tax evasion charges in the Philippines.
De Lima issued an immigration lookout bulletin against Jeane based on the tax evasion cases.
“The lookout bulletin only serves as a directive to immigration officers to coordinate with the concerned agencies (Department of Justice, National Bureau of Investigation, National Prosecution Service) to verify the status of the case against a subject/passenger. The decision on whether to allow or deny travel of the passenger shall be based on the recommendation of the appropriate agency,” Tan said.
The younger Napoles was earlier charged by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) for violations of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) over an alleged total tax liability of P32.06 million, inclusive of surcharges and interests, for taxable years 2011 and 2012.
BIR Commissioner Kim Henares had said Jeane Napoles was able to acquire a condominium unit at the Ritz Carlton in Los Angeles, California worth P54.73 million, and has a share, equivalent to P1.49 million, in a Bayambang, Pangasinan property purchased in 2012.
She, however, did not file any income tax return (ITR) in 2011 and 2012. There were also no records of returns filed that will prove that gifts were given to her.
Jeane first came under fire after Instagram photos showed her lavish lifestyle.
The photos showed expensive cars she received from her parents for her birthday, debut and graduation from college, as well as luxurious watches, jewelry, clothing, and shoes.
This article is republished with permission from ABS-CBNnews.com.
Photo: Jeane Napoles’ Tumblr page
