Enrile: I’m not up to betraying my people

Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile: I’ve never been known for betraying my people. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile returned to the Senate on Monday and denied betraying his former chief of staff, Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes, over the P10-billion pork barrel scam.

“I’m not up to betray any of my people. I’ve never been known for that,” Enrile, who missed last week’s sessions after he was confined in a hospital for high blood pressure and a blocked urethra, told reporters in the session hall.

Reyes had posted on her Facebook account that she felt betrayed by the camp of Enrile after his lawyer said that the senator did not authorize her actions pertaining to the release of his pork barrel fund.

Reyes, who flew out of the country on Aug. 31, has been charged with plunder in the Ombudsman along with Janet Lim-Napoles, Enrile and Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr. over the fund scam.

She said Enrile had vowed to stand by the authority he had given her and to fight the charges together when they spoke on the phone.

“The worst blow has been dealt upon me by no less than the camp of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile—the man I served with full dedication, honesty and loyalty for 25 years,” said Reyes.

Enrile declined to discuss his counter-arguments to the case, saying he would present these in court.

“I will not discuss my case, if you don’t mind. I’ll face the music in the courtroom,” he said on Monday.

Enrile was confined at the Makati Medical Center from Sept. 14 to 18 after his blood pressure shot up.

The senator explained that he had drunk too much water while exercising and that his sodium level had dipped without his knowing it.

“And so, Saturday morning at one o’clock, my blood pressure shot up to 220/100. I could not explain why. So I called up my doctor in the wee hours of the morning. And he said you better proceed to the emergency room of the Makati Medical Center,” he said.

“So I went. They controlled my blood pressure. They thought I was passing [kidney] stones because I have a history of passing stones. But I said I had no pain. And I could not pass my water. So that aggravated the whole thing,” he said.

When the sessions began, Enrile rose to explain his medical condition to dispel speculations he had suffered a heart attack or a stroke.

Meanwhile, Estrada stood up to inquire on the floor if the Senate’s public relations and information bureau had banned reporters from interviewing senators in the session hall. Senate President Franklin Drilon assured him there was no such ban.

Drilon confirmed that the media were still allowed interviews in the session hall. Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano clarified that interviews were allowed if done outside the session hall.