MANILA, Philippines — Sixteen senators, including Senate President Franklin Drilon, have signed a letter of appeal to the Sandiganbayan to allow Senator Juan Ponce Enrile to be detained at his residence in Makati City.
The letter dated March 9, 2015, was initiated by Acting Senate Minority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.
“May it please the Honorable Court to be provided the journal of the Senate containing the privilege speech of the undersigned on the matter of the possibility of granting the situs of detention of former Senate President/Senator Juan Ponce Enrile at his residence in Dasmariñas Village, Makati City,” Sotto said in the letter.
“As expressed in said speech, compassion is urged to be extended to Senator Enrile on account of his health condition and his being 91 years old already,” he said referring to his motion on the floor last March 2 where he urged his colleagues to pass a resolution, asking the proper authority to exercise its “judicial compassion” and allow Enrile to be detained at his residence in Makati City.
“Other senators have expressed conformity with the intent and tenor of said privilege speech, and undersigned have undertaken this opportunity to submit the same as an attachment in any previous or future motion of the counsel of Senator Enrile seeking the grant of said house arrest,” Sotto added.
Sotto said he filed the appeal at the Sandiganbayan this Thursday.
Aside from Sotto, the 15 other senators who signed the letter of appeal were 11 administration allies like Drilon, Ralph Recto, Grace Poe, Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Sergio Osmeña, Sonny Angara, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Cynthia Villar, Loren Legarda, and Lito Lapid and three opposition members — Senators Nancy Binay, Gringo Honasan and Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito.
The five senators who did not sign the appeal were Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Alan Cayetano, Pia, Cayetano, Antonio Trillanes IV, and Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III.
Enrile has been under hospital arrest on plunder and graft charges in connection with the pork barrel scam while Senators Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. have been detained at a detention facility in Camp Crame in Quezon City for the same charges.