Palace: No objection to Enrile hospital arrest

Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang has no objection to the decision of the Sandiganbayan to allow Senator Juan Ponce Enrile to remain in hospital detention.

The anti-graft court on Friday granted Enrile’s request to extend his hospital arrest while his petition for bail is being heard.

“I don’t think there was any objection that was interposed in the proceedings,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said on state-run DZRB radio Saturday.

Valte said President Benigno Aquino III understands the senator’s old age and health condition.

“Thus far, there is no objection. As in the pork scam cases, we’ve always abided by the decisions of the handling court especially when it comes to detention,”

Early this September, doctors from the Philippine General Hospital who examined Enrile’s medical condition told the court that the senator should stay in hospital, saying he was vulnerable to stroke and heart attack.

The 90-year old senator is under hospital detention in a private room at a Philippine National Police hospital in Camp Crame, Quezon City while facing plunder and graft charges in connection with the P10-billion pork barrel scam.

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