De Lima wants to prevent Gigi Reyes from leaving PH again

By: Dona Z. Pazzibugan - 11 years ago

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Juan Ponce Enrile’s former chief of staff and plunder co-accused, lawyer Jessica “Gigi” Reyes, may not be able to leave the country again, at least not easily, according to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

While the case was still with the Office of the Ombudsman as of Monday and no arrest warrants have been issued to prevent travel abroad, De Lima indicated she would not want Reyes, being “one of the principal respondents”– to leave again.

“At this point, is it still right that we allow the accused to leave, especially the principal respondents? And I would say that Attorney Gigi Reyes is one of the principal respondents because she was acting for and in behalf of Senator JPE (Enrile),” De Lima told reporters Monday.

She added that Reyes’ situation could not be compared to that of Ruby Tuason, another accused whom the government has taken in as possible state witness.

“At the time of these transactions Gigi Reyes was also a public official being the chief of staff of Senator JPE, unlike Ruby Tuason who is a private citizen,” De Lima said.

De Lima also denied any deal was made with Reyes before she returned, saying she was just as surprised by her return last April 19, on Black Saturday.

Reyes has not sent any feelers to the Department of Justice nor to the National Bureau of Investigation, she added.

“I think if she has any intention to be a state witness, she should have given us prior advice before she returned,” de Lima said.

While saying it was “pointless” to speculate whether Reyes wanted to apply as state witness, De Lima offered her own speculation on why Reyes returned.

“Maybe she was already having a hard time, maybe she thinks she has to really face the charges squarely rather than just be– I don’t think she is really hiding because she is not yet a fugitive from justice,” she said.

“But of course, most Filipinos whether here and abroad know about this case… Every time she sees her fellow Filipinos (abroad), they would see her differently. That would be very difficult up to personal level for Gigi Reyes,” she added.

And even if Reyes would come clean about the alleged scam, De Lima indicated she would still think twice before recommending Reyes immunity from suit due to Reyes’ involvement with Janet Napoles, who has been accused of having put up dozens of bogus NGOs that siphoned lawmakers’ pork barrel funds.

The idea of turning Reyes into a state witness would require “deeper study,” said De Lima.