The Joseph Morong Report: What happens if #JanetLimNapoles becomes state witness
GMA7 News TV Channel 11/ 24 State of the Nation show, the Joseph Morong report: What happens if pork barrel queen Janet Lim-Napoles becomes state witness?
What benefits could be granted to a witness admitted to the Witness Protection Program?
This report gives an overview of the legal and practical implications of JLN being admitted to the WPP — and builds scenarios based on logical consequences of the State being obliged to give protection to a jailed accused-turned-state-witness-in-another- case: “SONA: Kalayaan at immunity, kapalit ng pagiging state witness ni Napoles” ni Joseph Morong (“State of the Nation Report: Freedom and immunity in exchange for Napoles being state witness” by Joseph Morong), GMA News TV State of the Nation show, uploaded here non-commercially for educational purposes (click video below):
Can a senator criminally charged with plunder be suspended from office?
By motion. In the litigated criminal case in the Sandiganbayan. (that is, after the Information or formal criminal charge is filed in the Sandiganbayan. After arrest. After arraignment. A senator’s detention prevents him/her only from physically attending, but you could say that technically, he/she is not necessarily legally suspended from office without any order from the court or a body with jurisdiction).
After motion, the other party may oppose. There will be a hearing on the motion. Then the court will grant or deny or dismiss the motion. If the court grants the motion, it will serve the order on the Senate.
(Can the Senate do this thru proceedings in its ethics committee? The Senate is free and authorized to conduct its own proceedings. But this is separate and distinct from the plunder case, it is not part of the plunder case, it is not the ancillary remedy contemplated by law in the plunder case.)
The Ombudsman has promised, under oath (during the budget hearing) that she will complete the preliminary investigation inside of a year.
