The Sandiganbayan has ordered the Office of the Ombudsman to produce the evidence against former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile on the P172.8 million plunder case against him.

This is in response to the petition filed by the camp of former lawmaker before the Sandiganbayan Third Division to order the Ombudsman “to produce and permit the copying or photographing of any and all documents” as specified in the bill of particulars.

They argued that they need time “to study and consider the materials before trial is held.”

In its 6-page resolution issued on April 24, the graft court granted Enrile’s motion.

The Sandiganbayan said, “Enrile has absolute control on how to go about his defense. If in his mind, he needed to inspect or copy pieces of evidence [not privileged] which are material for him to make an intelligent defense, then he is allowed by the court to ask for the inspection or production of these documents.”

The court cited Section 10, Rule 116 of the Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure which allows the former Senate president to avail this remedy, considering the prosecution made use of government resources to prepare its case.

Therefore, on the argument that the request is equivalent to premature presentation of evidence, the court said “Ombudsman prosecutors were wrong to call Enrile’s motion premature.

The Sandiganbayan, however, said the scope of the evidence that Enrile may access is only limited to documents related to the itemized charges against him.

Enrile is accused of pocketing some P172.8 million of his pork barrel or Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) by channeling the money to the fake nongovernment organizations of convicted plunderer Janet Lim Napoles.

He was initially detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City but was later released by the court on humanitarian grounds considering that he is already 95 years old.

Associate Justice Ronald Moreno wrote the resolution, with the concurrence of Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang and Associate Justice Bernelito Fernandez.  –Maris Federez

Tags: Janet Napoles, Juan Ponce Enrile, P172.8 million of his pork barrel scam, Philippine National Police (PNP), PNP Custodial Center, pork barrel scam, Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), Sandiganbayan, Sandiganbayan third division

FILE PHOTO: Former Senator Bong Revilla Jr.

CAVITE, Philippines – In December 2017, the Sandiganbayan acquitted former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. of plunder over his involvement in the multi-billion pork barrel scam.

Likewise, the anti-graft court ordered the former senator to return P124.5 million of civil liabilities to the National Treasury.

According to Revilla’s legal counsel, Atty. Reody Anthony Balisi, the dispositive portion of the Sandiganbayan’s decision was clear that only those found guilty were required to return the amount — in Revilla’s case, it should be Janet Lim Napoles and Revilla’s former aide Richard Cambe.

“All those who are criminally liable are civilly liable. So with these qualification in the dispositive portion of the decision of the Sandiganbayan, you apply the Article 100, base on the discussion above is Senator Bong criminally liable? He is not,” Balisi explained.

“Therefore, if you apply Article 100 then he cannot be said to have a civil liability since he is not criminally liable. There is no basis for any civil liability. There is no basis for him to return to the national treasury solidarily liable or jointly liable the amount of P124.5 million,” he added.

Revilla’s wife, Bacoor City Mayor Lani Mercado, supports this argument and maintained that her husband has no obligation to return the said amount.

“Siya naman po ay acquitted so I don’t think that particular item has applied on him. According to our legal team hindi po ganoon,” Mercado said.

The former senator, meanwhile, maintained that he did not steal anything from the people’s money and that everything he has as a citizen he earned from years of being an actor prior to his entry to national politics.

“Lahat po ng mayroon ako ay bunga ng aking dugo at pawis sa pag aartista. Simula pa lang noong ako ay sampung taong gulang. Sa mga panahong karamihan ay natutulog pa, ako po ay kumakayod na para kumita at iyan nga ang napatunayan ng hukuman na wala akong ninakaw ni sentimo mula sa taumbayan,” he said.

Despite the controversies hounding her husband, Mercado said she appreciates that Revilla remains among the top 10 senatorial candidates in current surveys.

Based on the latest survey by the Social Weather Station (SWS), Revilla ranked seventh.

“Ako po ay lubusang nagpapasalamat sa lahat ng sumusuporta’t tumatangkilik sa kaniya bagamat maraming naganap noong nakaraan, ang tiwala ng tao at pagmamahal ay sa kanya pa rin,” she said.

Since the former senator’s acquittal, the Revilla family has been enjoying a normal life, according to Mercado. – Marje Pelayo (with reports from Benedict Samson)

Tags: plunder, pork barrel scam, Ramon 'Bong' Revilla Jr

FILE PHOTO: Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.

MANILA, Philippines — The court has spoken, and as its co-equal branch in government, Malacañang abides by the decision of Sandiganbayan anti-graft court to acquit former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. of plunder charges, and convict his former staff, Richard Cambe and businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles in relation to the pork barrel scam.

This was the statement of Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo on the recent ruling of Sandiganbayan on the plunder case of Revilla, Napoles and Cambe in connection with the alleged misuse of lawmakers’ Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

Panelo added that the judiciary performed its constitutional duty of delivering justice.

“While justice grinds so slow most of the time, it does grind, and when it stops it renders a verdict that is exacting immutable,” he said.

Panelo assured that the Executive Branch will continue to respect the independence of the judiciary and will “implement the final orders of the anti-graft court on the matter.”

He added that either camp may still file an appeal and “pursue remedies available under our procedural laws.”

“In any event, this administration takes stock of the lessons learned from cases involving unconstitutional discretionary funds and has implemented measures to ensure the integrity of the national budget and its proper utilization for our people,” Panelo said. — UNTV News & Rescue

Tags: acquitted, Bong Revilla, plunder, pork barrel scam