Sandiganbayan junks bail petition of Enrile

Sandiganbayan Building along Commonwealth, Quezon City. Photo courtesy of DGR Law Offices.

MANILA — The bail petition filed by detained Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile was junked by the Sandiganbayan in connection with the alleged misused of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

In the resolution signed by Sandiganbayan Third Division Presiding Judge Amparo Cabotaje-Tang with Associate Justices Samuel Martires and Alex Quiros, the court denied Enrile’s petition for temporary freedom due to “lack of merit” and for being “premature.”

“Accused Enrile asserts that the Court should already fix his bail because he is not a flight risks and his physical condition must also be seriously considered by the Court… Admittedly, the advanced age, physical condition and his being a flight risk among the factors that are considered in fixing a reasonable amount of bail. However, as explained above, it is premature for the Court to fix the amount of bail without an anterior showing that the evidence of guilt against accused Enrile is not strong,” the resolution stated.

This coming Friday, the Third Division is set to arraign Enrile’s co-accused and his former chief of staff Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes.

Reyes was supposedly to be arraigned last week but was rushed at the Taguig-Pateros District Hospital a due anxiety attack while detained at Camp Bagong Diwa.

She was later brought at the intensive care unit of the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City after she complained of chest pains.

Reyes was later brought back in her detention facilities inside Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City.