Enrile defends ex-chief of staff Reyes

Jessica “Gigi” Reyes INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Senate Minority Juan Ponce Enrile defended her former chief of staff, lawyer Jessica “Gigi” Reyes, who he said was “innocent” of all the charges being hurled at her.

Both Enrile and Reyes have been charged with plunder at the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the P10-billion “pork barrel” fund scam.

In a privilege speech on Wednesday, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago revived an old news article linking Enrile to Reyes.

“I’m sad that she attacked some innocent people who are not here, especially my chief of staff, who I believe is innocent of all the charges made against her,” Enrile said after Santiago’s speech.

“You know, Mr. President, even my maids, my security, my buddies, I eat with them…I don’t consider my maids or my security [strangers] and that’s the way I treat even the people here in the Senate. And maybe they have mistaken that for something else.”

“But truly, sya na mismo ang nagsabi na ako ay maasim. Kaya kung may napilantikan man sa aking asim ay siguro naman ay dahil meron pa naman akong magandang tindig,” Enrile added.

Santiago’s speech, he said, only confirmed everything he said in his privilege speech last week regarding her “mental health” and her “propensity to make unfounded, baseless accusations.”

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