Detained senator Juan Ponce Enrile on Friday said he spent time reading books while under hospital arrest.
Making a public appearance for the first time since being detained, the 91-year old senator also refused to comment about his plunder case in the Sandiganbayan over the alleged pork barrel scam.
Enrile appeared on Friday for his scheduled pre-trial with co-accused chief of staff Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes.
Asked about his health, Enrile said: “I’m okay. I’m doing a lot of reading, studying geography, capital generation, power competition, currency development.”
It was a reunion of sorts for all the accused in the pork barrel scam case. Ruby Tuason, a former ally who turned against her friend Reyes and alleged boss Enrile, was also present as she was to testify against accused mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles for her bail hearing. Napoles was also present for the hearing.
Napoles, Enrile and Reyes were all present in the court room before the start of pretrial. Tuason, meanwhile, kept away from the other accused, opting not to stay in the court room during the pretrial.
Reyes and Enrile snubbed each other in the court room. Reyes sat on the far end, while Enrile at the front.
Meanwhile, Napoles skulked to the side of the courtroom hiding from the glare of the cameras outside.
Asked if he saw Reyes, Enrile said: “I didn’t see her. I have no eyes behind.”
Detained senator Juan Ponce Enrile arrives at Sandiganbayan for pretrial.
Enrile is under hospital detention and Reyes is detained at the female dormitory of Camp Bagong Diwa for their alleged involvement in the purported scheme of pilfering the senator’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to ghost projects for kickbacks.
Socialite Tuason, who turned state witness, has identified her good friend Reyes as receiving the kickbacks for Enrile from accused mastermind Napoles.
Napoles is serving life sentence for the serious illegal detention of star witness Benhur Luy.
During the pre-trial, both parties would prepare for the conduct of the trial proper, including the marking of exhibits, stipulation of facts, identification of issues, and identification of the number of dates each party needs for presentation of evidence.
The court cancelled Enrile’s pre-trial pending the termination of the preliminary conference.