Enrile to Estrada, Revilla: Don’t lose hope

SENATOR Juan Ponce Enrile, recently granted bail by the Supreme Court (SC), has this advice to his colleagues Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr.: Don’t lose hope.

In an interview after his bail hearing at the Sandiganbayan on Monday, Estrada said he and Revilla were visited by Enrile at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center a day after the court allowed the senior senator’s release on Friday.

Enrile advised his detained colleagues to have faith that they would soon be granted temporary freedom as they stand trial for plunder over the pork barrel scam, Estrada said.

“He was supposed to visit us on the day of his release kaya lang medyo ginabi na, pagod na si Senator Enrile so he visited us the next day,” Estrada said.

“We had lunch together with Senator Bong and nagkwentuhan lang. Advise nya sa amin na not to lose hope and be strong and have faith,” he added.

Estrada said he is praying that the SC decision would have a positive effect on his bail plea before the anti-graft court.

“I haven’t read the decision yet. But I am praying  and hoping na it will have some favorable effects on us,” Estrada said.

“Siyempre nagdadasal kami at nanalangin na sana makasunod sa yapak ni JPE na makapagtrabaho na,” he said.

Enrile posted bail after the high tribunal on Tuesday, in a vote of 8-4, granted Enrile’s motion to reverse the Sandiganbayan Third Division’s ruling which denied his bail plea.

The high court noted Enrile’s frail health and not being flight risk at 91 years old.

The decision came exactly a week after the SC sided with Enrile’s request for bill of particulars in his plunder case over his alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam.

The Supreme Court set the bail amount at P1 million. On top of the P30,000 bail for each of his 15 graft charges, Enrile paid a total amount of P1.45 million.

Enrile went to the SC after the Sandiganbayan Third Division last year denied his motion that he be allowed to post bail.

Enrile, Estrada and Revilla stand accused of pocketing kickbacks from their Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) through ghost projects implemented by the bogus foundations linked to accused mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.

The Ombudsman accused Enrile of receiving P172.8 million kickbacks, Estrada with P183.7 million kickbacks, and Revilla with P224.5 million kickbacks from their PDAF.

While Enrile has been released from jail after a year of hospital detention, Estrada’s bail plea continues to drag on since he surrendered June 2014 as the prosecution is nearing the conclusion of its presentation of evidence.

Revilla, meanwhile, had been denied bail by the Sandiganbayan in December 2014.