Sandigan sets plunder trial sked of Enrile, Jaraula

THE Sandiganbayan has scheduled the trial for this year of two lawmakers involved in the Janet Lim-Napoles pork barrel scam.

The plunder trial of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile is scheduled for Jan. 13 and from then on every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday until July 7, according to the anti-graft court Third Division clerk of court Atty. Dennis Pulma.

Pulma said the court would tackle the plunder trial of Enrile’s aide Atty. Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes and accused mastermind Napoles first.

He said Enrile’s plunder case is in limbo pending the Ombudsman’s appeal on the Supreme Court’s grant of bail to Enrile on humanitarian grounds.

Enrile is accused of receiving P172.8 million in kickbacks from Napoles.

Also, the trial proper of former Cagayan De Oro Rep. Constantino Jaraula is also set to start on Jan. 19 until Oct. 25.

Jaraula is charged with malversation, graft and direct bribery charges for allegedly receiving P50.5 million in kickbacks from his pork barrel.

Meanwhile, the resolution on the bail hearing of Senator Jinggoy Estrada remains pending. The antigraft court awaits the Supreme Court decision on its request for extension in resolving Estrada’s bail until Jan. 13.

Estrada’s bail had been going on since he surrendered to the police on June 2014.

Estrada is accused of receiving P183 million kickbacks from Napoles.

His colleague Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. is set to face pretrial of his plunder case on Feb. 4 and of his graft case on March 7. The court has yet to set the start of trial.

Revilla is accused of accumulating P242 million kickbacks. His bail had been denied by the Sandiganbayan. He appealed to the Supreme Court.

Both Estrada and Revilla are detained for plunder at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center.

The bail plea of another detained lawmaker accused of plunder, former representative and Masbate governor Rizalina Seachon Lanete, is set to be resolved soon, as the court awaits the resolution on the formal offer of evidence. Lanete is charged with receiving P108 million kickbacks.

Meanwhile, the bail plea of former Apec Rep. Edgar Valdez also awaits resolution pending the comment on the formal offer of evidence. Valdez is accused of receiving P57.787 million in kickbacks.

Meanwhile, the preliminary conference on the malversation and graft case of former Agusan Del Sur Rep. Rodolfo Plaza is set to start on Jan. 20 until Feb. 17 before the pre-trial on March 7.

Plaza, who faces malversation, graft and direct bribery charges, is accused of receiving P42.1 million in kickbacks.

Lastly, former Benguet Rep. Samuel Dangwa’s pre-trial for malversation, graft and direct bribery had been set to March 24.  Dangwa is accused of receiving P26.7 million kickbacks.

The alleged pork barrel scam is an elaborate scheme of converting legislators’ congressional lumpsum fund Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) into ghost projects for kickbacks through the bogus foundations of mastermind Napoles.