Deputy Ombudsman: We have enough evidence vs Enrile

THE Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday maintained that it has enough evidence that would prove that Senator Juan Ponce Enrile received kickbacks from the multi-billion pork barrel scam.

Speaking to reporters, Deputy Ombudsman Gerard Mosquera belied reports that state prosecutors handling Enrile’s case had admitted that they have no enough evidence against the 91-year-old senator.

Reports said that the admission was made during the last bail hearing of pork barrel mastermind and detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles at the Sandiganbayan.

Mosquera dismissed these reports as “inaccurate.”

“If you go to the transcript of stenographic notes and relevant records and arguments during closing statement, the prosecution clearly outlined its case, listed evidence that indicates that conspiracy existed between Enrile and (Gigi) Reyes,” he said.

Although the signatures of the senator did not appear on the pork barrel documents, he said the prosecution was able to present that conspiracy existed.

“The act of one is the act of all and the prosecution has been able to establish by evidence it has presented that such conspiracy exists,” the deputy Ombudsman said.

Enrile is facing plunder and graft charges before the Sandiganbayan for the alleged misuse of his pork barrel funds but is on temporary liberty after the Supreme Court granted his petition for bail due to humanitarian conditions.