Sandiganbayan sets hearing on pork scam cases
MANILA, Philippines—The Sandiganbayan has scheduled its hearings for this week on the pleas of those charged with plunder and graft over the alleged pork barrel scam.
Three divisions in the anti-graft court are hearing the motions of Senators Ramon Revilla Jr., Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile, as well as their respective co-accused, after the Ombudsman indicted them of the charges.
On Thursday, the first division hearing Revilla’s case would hear the motions for court determination of probable cause filed by Revilla and his former political adviser Richard Cambe, alleged mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles and her nephew Ronald John Lim.
The division would also hear the motions to suspend proceedings by Revilla, Cambe, Napoles and Lim, as well as the motions to defer the issuance of arrest warrant by Napoles and Lim.
It would also hear the motion to reduce bail by National Livelihood Development Center (NLDC) official Chita Jalandoni.
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
On Friday, the third division hearing Enrile’s case would hear the motions for determination of probable cause filed by Enrile, Napoles and children Jo Christine and James Christopher, Lim, Budget Undersecretary Mario Relampagos and budget officials Rosario Nunez, Lalaine Paule and Marilou Bare.
The division would also hear Enrile’s motion to dismiss graft raps, as well as the motions to reduce bail by NLDC officials Filipina Rodriguez and Jalandoni.
On Friday, the fifth division hearing Estrada’s case would hear the motions for determination of probable cause filed by Estrada, Napoles, Relampagos, Nunez, Paule and Bare of the Budget department; and NLDC President Gondelina Amata.
The division would also hear the motion to defer the issuance of an arrest warrant filed by Napoles, as well as the motion to reduce bail by NLDC’s Jalandoni.
Revilla is facing one count of plunder and 16 counts of graft; Enrile with one count of plunder and 15 counts of graft; and Estrada with one count of plunder and 11 counts of graft.
Also charged was Napoles.
Executive clerk of court Renato Bocar has said the court may take longer to study the evidence to determine if there is probable cause in the charges. He said an arrest warrant may only be issued after determining probable cause.
The pork barrel scam is an elaborate scheme of allegedly diverting billions of Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) to ghost projects for kickbacks.
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