Vice presidential bet Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will be elected even if he is in jail, Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce-Enrile said on Thursday.
A plunder complaint has been filed by a youth group called Ibalik ang Bilyones ng Mamamayan (iBBM) against Marcos at the Office of the Ombudsman for alleged misuse of his P205 million of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel.
READ: Plunder raps filed against Bongbong
Enrile said the timing of the filing was suspect.
“The timing is suspect, that’s all I can say; the timing is suspect. Why now… when this Ombudsman took over?” he said at a weekly “Kapihan sa Senado.”
“When he was in the good graces of the administration, there was no effort to file any case against Bongbong. Why now? That he’s a candidate for vice president and critical to the administration?”
Despite this, Enrile believes that the filing of complaint would not make a dent on Marcos’ chances to become the next vice president.
“He will be elected even if he’s in jail,” he said. “In fact, that case will make him more (popular). Not only that, [it] will [also] make the Ilocanos determine to put all their votes for him. You know, the Ilocano votes run from the north all the way to Mindanao.”
Enrile himself is an Ilocano but as part of the United Nationalist Alliance, he supports the party’s candidate for vice president, Senator Gringo Honasan.
“But I can’t go against Bongbong in my area even if I kneel before them, before my people. Ilocanos are like that, e. When somebody runs for a national level, they will vote for it. You have to give Bongbong the Ilocano votes. In my estimate, he will get not less than 70 percent.”
Asked then if he would vote for Marcos, Enrile said he would, only for president and congressman. He did not elaborate.
The Minority Leader also believes that the issuance of a warrant of arrest by the Sandiganbayan against another UNA member, Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, was also suspect.
READ: Sandigan orders JV Ejercito arrested
“Because I know of people who, also like us, used their PDAF but they were never charged. But the only thing is they are members of the Liberal Party,” Enrile said.
“I don’t want to name them because many of them are my friends and the amounts involving them are much, much bigger than those involving the likes of us,” he said.
Asked again this is proof of selective justice under the Aquino administration, Enrile said: “The proof of the pudding is in the reality of eating.”
Enrile was out on bail on plunder case filed against him, also in connection with the pork barrel scam. JE
READ: Enrile out on bail, says his faith in justness of Judiciary vindicated