Palace ready for backlash from accused senators’ supporters–aide

(From left) Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang is prepared for any backlash from supporters of Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. over their impending arrest on plunder charges in connection with the P10-billion pork barrel scam.

“If it comes to that point, we’re prepared for it,” Abigail Valte, one of President Benigno Aquino III’s spokespersons, said over the state-run dzRB radio.

But so far, Valte said, there has been indication of any mobilization by the followers of the three senators.

Over the past months, Aquino has had to fend off charges by Estrada and Revilla that they were being singled out for prosecution because many other lawmakers had also benefited from the scam.

Valte said law enforcers were ready to serve any warrants to be issued by the Sandiganbayan for the arrest of the accused.

“Of course, only the court can issue the warrant for their arrest, and only the Executive will be tasked to serve the warrant. In that case, in any high-profile case that involves high-profile personalities, the government will comply with any order, and what is proper,” she said.

Valte, however, agreed with Senate President Franklin Drilon’s request to the Sandiganbayan not to arrest the senators inside the Senate, as a matter of courtesy to the institution.

“All of us recognize and respect the Senate as an institution,” she said.

The Ombudsman filed the plunder charges against the senators, their staff, Janet Lim Napoles and several others last Friday in the Sandiganbayan after denying their motions for reconsideration.

It concluded that the senators each received kickbacks ranging from P172 million to P224 million from the racket by conniving with their staff.  It is set to file additional charges of graft and corruption against them next week.

Napoles had been accused of orchestrating the conversion of the lawmakers’ Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) into kickbacks through a network of dummy foundations, forged letter-requests and strong connections in government.

Valte also scoffed at claims that the indictment of the senators, their staff, Napoles and several others was rushed in anticipation of Aquino’s state of the nation address in July.

Valte said the Ombudsman had spent sufficient time to vet the complaints and review the evidence before making a final decision to bring the charges to trial in court.

“It took months before it issued a final ruling,” she said. “Secondly, the Ombudsman is an independent constitutional commission. It’s not controlled by the Executive.”

Estrada said their indictment was rushed ahead of the Sona.

“Of course, they will parade us, and say, ‘We’ve jailed a president and three senators.’ As for me, I have a clear conscience,” Estrada said on radio.

Valte deferred to the Supreme Court to decide on the Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales’ request to Chief Justice Lourdes Sereno to create two special divisions in the Sandiganbayan to try the cases related to pork barrel scam.

“Hopefully, whatever their decision may be it will help in making sure that the trial or the proceedings are conducted in a timely manner,” she said. “If it will help speed up the hearing of the cases, we have no objection to it.”

RELATED STORIES

Senator Estrada willing to go to jail, ‘just spare aging Enrile’
Enrile, Estrada, Revilla indicted
Janet Napoles and the pork barrel scam