Decision on Enrile arrest soon after Justice done reading 9,000-page evidence
MANILA, Philippines – After almost two weeks since the Sandiganbayan third division first heard the plunder case of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, Associate Justice Samuel Martires is finally finished reading the over 9,000-page documents of evidence pinning Enrile on the pork barrel scam.
A reliable source, who requested anonymity, said Justice Martires is finally “done reading” the voluminous documents for the issuance of the court resolution determining probable cause to hold Enrile and his co-accused on trial.
Martires is also expected to write a separate opinion on the division’s resolution, said to be awaiting Martires’ signature after the two justices supposedly already signed the court decision.
The source refused to confirm, however, that Martires is the only Justice who has yet to sign the resolution, adding that he even “doubts” the decision would be released tomorrow, Friday.
Senator Juan Ponce Enrile. FILE PHOTO
The third division court’s judicial determination on probable cause against Enrile is the only resolution left to complete the cast. The first and fifth divisions found probable cause to detain Senators Ramon Revilla Jr. and Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada on plunder. Estrada and Revilla have surrendered and are now detained.
When Revilla was ordered arrested on June 20, in fact, Martires said in a court hearing that day that he would be fair in deciding Enrile’s motion to determine probable cause, boasting even that he would read all 9,000 documents of evidence and shun away public opinion.
“I will not yield to public pressure or opinion… I do not hear opinions that are baseless. I will not care what lawyers and the media will say,” Martires had said.
“I personally promise that I am going to read nine thousand pages (of the case),” he added.
Martires had made the statement after Enrile’s lawyer Estelito Mendoza then defended his client’s motion to dismiss the case for lack of evidence on record to establish probable cause, as well as a motion for bail.
“Do not worry about the media. Do not worry about public opinion. If we have to work 24 hours a day, we will do it,” Martires had said in addressing Enrile’s lawyer.
The Associate Justice had figured in controversial decisions, one of which is Martires’ division’s 2011 decision granting bail and plea bargaining agreement to former military comptroller Carlos Garcia over his charges of direct bribery and facilitating money laundering. The division eventually recalled the bail order.
The Ombudsman, in indicting Enrile, said the former senate president and the 90-year-old veteran lawmaker that he with his cohorts amassed P172.834 million in kickbacks from 2003 to 2010 from the alleged illegal disbursement of his Priority Development Assistance Funds.
Enrile faces one count of plunder and 15 counts of graft.
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