Senators Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. AP FILE PHOTO
State prosecutors opposed the bid of Senators Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada to attend the wake of German “Kuya Germs” Moreno, citing the detainees’ likely escape and possible security risks.
Kuya Germs, whose real name is German Moreno, died on Friday due to cardiac arrest.
READ: ‘Kuya Germs,’ master showman, dies at 82 | Bong, Jinggoy want to attend Kuya Germs’ wake
During the First Division’s hearing on Revilla’s motion for furlough on Tuesday, prosecutor Jacinto Dela Cruz Jr. told the court the detained senator’s motion to attend the wake is not an extraordinary case, contrary to when the court allowed him to visit his son Jolo Revilla who was then in the hospital due to a gunshot wound in the chest.
READ: Sandiganbayan allows Bong Revilla to visit son Jolo
Dela Cruz added that Revilla’s bail had been denied already, and thus his rights should be limited.
He added that a public wake like that of Moreno may expose Revilla to security risks.
Meanwhile, the prosecutors submitted a written comment opposing the motion for furlough of Estrada.
In the opposition filed before the Fifth Division, the prosecution cited the recent denial of Estrada’s bail petition as a compelling reason to junk his motion for furlough.
READ: Sandigan denies Jinggoy bail plea
The prosecution likewise cited previous court rulings denying Estrada’s furlough to celebrate his birthday in Mass, visit the cemetery during All Saint’s Day, and celebrate Christmas and New Year with his family.
“Considering that the present motion is similar not only as to the objective but also as to the effect of the motions for reprieve from jail which were eventually denied by this Honorable Court, no plausible and cogent reason exists for this Honorable Court to depart from the ratio decidendi of its previous rulings,” the prosecution said.
The prosecution added that Estrada may even hold hostage his escorts from the Philippine National Police (PNP) so that he could escape detention as he faces plunder.
“Kuya Germs is a well-known personality and it is to be expected that people will crowd his wake. Accordingly, to grant accused Estrada his sought-for-furlough will make it possible for him to hold the people therein, including his PNP escorts, hostage to effect escape, considering the power and influence he wields,” the prosecution said.
In his motion, Revilla asked the court’s nod to leave his detention for five hours from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. to attend Moreno’s wake on Jan. 12 at Mt. Carmel Church, New Manila, Quezon City; or on Jan. 13 at the GMA Network Center, Timog Avenue, Quezon city.
He said Moreno is a “mentor, close friend, and second father,” and a godparent in their marriage. Revilla and his wife Cavite Rep. Lani Mercado are actors.
Meanwhile, Estrada asked the court for a three-hour furlough on Jan. 12 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. to attend the wake at Mt. Carmel Church, Quezon city.
Estrada said he as a movie actor wanted to pay his respects to Moreno.
Kuya Germs has been credited with developing and producing some of the country’s biggest stars through his former TV show “That’s Entertainment.’’ He was also host of the late-night program ‘‘Walang Tulugan.’’
Estrada and Revilla are detained for plunder at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center. Estrada is accused of receiving P183 million in kickbacks from accused pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles. Meanwhile, Revilla is accused of accumulating P242 million in kickbacks. Both of them had been denied bail by the Sandiganbayan. IDL