JPE, Gigi turn selves in
Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile is escorted to an ambulance after he surrendered to police officials at Camp Crame yesterday. JOVEN CAGANDE
MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile and his former chief of staff Jessica “Gigi” Reyes turned themselves in to authorities one after the other yesterday following the issuance of warrants for their arrest for plunder by the Sandiganbayan.
A frail-looking Enrile was recommended by a doctor for temporary confinement in the Philippine National Police General Hospital at Camp Crame, while Reyes would spend the weekend at the Sandiganbayan’s new basement detention facility and may be transferred to a Quezon City jail on Monday.
Reacting to the arrest, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the administration is “one with the people in their collective aspirations for truth and justice to prevail.”
“We note the resolution of the Sandiganbayan ordering the issuance of warrants of arrest against Senator Enrile and other co-accused,” Coloma said. “Law enforcement agencies are ready to comply with the orders of the court.”
The Sandiganbayan denied Enrile’s petition for bail, saying he had to be arrested first.
Also ordered arrested were alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles and 34 other respondents in the plunder and graft cases lodged against them by the Office of the Ombudsman last month.
Magistrates of the anti-graft court’s Third Division headed by Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang issued the arrest orders at around 3:15 p.m. after determining that there is enough evidence and basis to proceed with the trial of Enrile and the others.
The Sandiganbayan, in minute resolutions or ruling read by clerk of court Dennis Pulma, said Enrile’s bail petition was denied because he was not yet under arrest or about to surrender when he made the request.
“It is dictum that a person applying for bail should be in the custody of the law. Here, accused Enrile has not voluntarily surrendered or has been placed in the custody of the law, hence, his prayer that he be granted bail is premature,” the magistrates said in junking his bail plea.
Pulma said the anti-graft court also junked Reyes’ motion for suspension of proceedings. The court said that without a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the Supreme Court where she had filed her petition questioning her indictment, the pleading would have to be denied.
The Sandiganbayan, however, did not order the arrest of 12 of Enrile’s co-accused, including a son and a daughter of Napoles, as more evidence against them would have to be presented, according to Associate Justice Samuel Martires.
In a separate concurring and dissenting opinion, he voted to grant the motions for judicial determination of probable cause and similar pleadings filed by Jo Christine Lim Napoles, James Christopher Lim Napoles and six other respondents.
He said the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), the prosecutorial arm of the Office of the Ombudsman, should be ordered to present additional evidence against them.
Martires also voted to grant the motions for reinvestigation of three of Enrile’s co-accused – Hernani Ditchon, Rodrigo B. Galay, and Laarni Uy – saying they were not granted the chance to answer the allegations against them during the preliminary investigation.
He likewise voted for the dismissal of the graft complaints against one Margarita Guadinez, whose participation in the alleged commission of graft was not even discussed in an ombudsman’s resolution that found probable cause to indict her. “Her case is a proverbial kabute (mushroom),” he said.
Health issues
After his surrender at Camp Crame, Enrile was taken to an air-conditioned room of the PNP General Hospital where his vital signs were checked.
“Sen. Enrile’s blood pressure was 200/90. During his medical examination, there was heart murmur or abnormal heart sound,” Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, director of the Philippine National Police-Public Information Office, said.
“He has medication for hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol, vertigo, anti-platelet (blood thinner), anti-anemia and multivitamins,” he added.
“Temporary hospital confinement for further observation due to his medical condition of the subject was recommended,” Sindac said.
Sindac said the senator was technically not yet under court jurisdiction since his warrant of arrest had not yet been returned to the Sandiganbayan, which ended office hours at 5 p.m.
He said the order of arrest would be returned to the anti-graft court by Monday.
Enrile, escorted by police officers, his security, family and friends, arrived at 5:30 p.m. at Camp Crame.
Sindac said Enrile underwent regular booking procedure at the PNP Multi-Purpose Hall at Camp Crame, the same area where Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr. were processed before they began their detention. With Aurea Calica
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