Drilon urges speedy trial of ‘pork’ scam suspects

Senate President Franklin Drilon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines —Senate President Franklin Drilon is urging the Sandiganbayan to   conduct a speedy trial on the “pork barrel” scam so that the innocent would be set free and the guilty would be punished and jailed.

“With due respect, I call on the Sandiganbayan to set the case for speedy trial so that the innocent would be cleared of the charges and set free, and the guilty punished and jailed,” Drilon said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The search for truth is sometimes painful, but this is the kind of process that would strengthen our government institutions and reinforce the trust and confidence of our people in the justice system,” he said.

Drilon issued  the statement immediately after the  Office of the Ombudsman released its decision to recommend  the filing of plunder charges  against Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla et al in connection with the P10 billion “pork barrel” scam.

The Ombudsman’s decision, he said, was part of the constitutional and legal process “to which we are all bound and which we must all accept and respect.”

“I welcome the fact that the Ombudsman has performed her sworn duty as fast as humanly possible. I am certain that her decision is purely based on an honest and objective appreciation and appraisal of the facts and evidence. And that the finding of probable cause against the respondents was determined after a careful and thorough evaluation of the case,” he said.

Drilon said  the  Sandiganbayan will now try and decide the case and the defense would be given its day in court.

“We must give the court every opportunity to determine the whole truth and nothing but the truth – and to render judgment accordingly,” he said.

The Senate leader also  called on the people to remain watchful and vigilant so that justice is served.

“Whatever the outcome, our entire legal system now has the opportunity to show that we have a functioning system that can render fair, speedy and impartial justice,” Drilon said.

“We are a government of laws and we are governed by the rule of law. We should abide by the process in accordance with the Constitution and our laws,” he added.

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