Sandiganbayan taking more time on Enrile case

Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile (inset) will remain a free man a bit longer, as the Sandiganbayan is taking more time to determine whether there is probable cause to prosecute him for plunder and graft over the P10-billion pork barrel scam. RICHARD A. REYES AND RAFFY LERMA

MANILA, Philippines–Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile will remain a free man a bit longer, as the Sandiganbayan is taking more time to determine whether there is probable cause to prosecute him for plunder and graft over the P10-billion pork barrel scam.

The antigraft court’s Third Division that is handling the consolidated plunder and graft cases against Enrile and his 48 coaccused reached no decision on Monday.

On the other hand, the Fifth Division, which is handling the consolidated plunder and graft cases against Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, ordered him and his 25 coaccused arrested Monday morning.

The First Division, which is handling the consolidated cases against Sen. Bong Revilla and his 31 coaccused, was the first to decide, ordering the arrests on Thursday afternoon just hours after a hearing.

The arrest warrants were issued the following day, prompting Revilla and his coaccused, including his legislative staff officer Richard Cambe, to turn themselves in and 20 of those accused of graft to post bail last Friday.

Voluminous documents

During the hearing on Friday, members of the Third Division—Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang (chair) and Associate Justices Samuel Martires and Alex Quiroz—listened to Enrile’s lawyer Estelito Mendoza challenge the more than 9,000 pages of documents submitted by the Ombudsman as any proof that Enrile received kickbacks from the pork barrel scam.

Martires assured Mendoza that the division read all the documents.

“I will read the 9,000 sheets (of paper). I don’t care what the lawyers, the media think. This court will base its decision on the evidence,” Martires said.

The three divisions heard defense motions to either suspend the proceedings, defer the issuance of arrest warrants or to dismiss the cases altogether.

The First Division, composed of Associate Justices Efren de la Cruz (chair), Rafael Lagos and Napoleon Inoturan (temporary member), issued a four-page resolution on Thursday saying the Ombudsman charges showed “sufficient grounds exist for the finding of probable cause” for issuing the arrest warrants.

The Fifth Division, composed of Associate Justices Rolando Jurado (chair) Alexander Gesmundo and Quiroz (temporary member), reached a similar decision.

“The arguments raised are matters of defense [that can] be best threshed out during the trial on the merits of these cases,” it said in its four-page decision.

3 more post bail

On Monday, three more accused posted bail, bringing the total to 23 out of the 54 people accused of graft accounted for.

Bail was set at P30,000 per count of graft.

Those who have posted bail are Dennis Cunanan, Marivic Jover, Francisco Figura, Consuelo Espiritu and Rosalinda Lacsamana of the Technology Resource Center;

Gondelina Amata, Chita Jalandoni and Gregoria Buenaventura of the National Livelihood Development Corp.;

Encarnita Munsod of the National Agribusiness Corp. (Nabcor);

Budget Undersecretary Mario Relampagos and Rosario Nuñez, Lalaine Paule and Marilou Bare of the Department of Budget and Management; the children of principal accused Janet Lim-Napoles, Jo Christine and James Christopher; and employees of Napoles’ bogus foundations Evelyn de Leon, Jocelyn Piorato, Eulogio Rodriguez, Nitz Cabilao, Fernando Ramirez, Jesus Castillo, Dorilyn Fabian and Renato Ornopia.

Revilla’s arraignment is set for June 26 while Estrada’s arraignment is set for June 30.

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