Jinggoy hits ‘April Fool’s Day operation’

MANILA, Philippines - Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr. slammed yesterday the filing of the plunder complaint against them before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the pork barrel scam.

Estrada and Revilla decried what they described as political persecution waged against them by the administration and its allies.

“It is a very well-synchronized April Fool’s Day operation. First the Senate Blue Ribbon committee came out with a committee report recommending the filing of charges against me and two of my colleagues and several others,” Estrada said.

He observed that the recommendation of the Office of the Ombudsman to file charges against them came with the decision of the Blue Ribbon to release its draft report on the pork barrel scam inquiry.

The Office of the Ombudsman announced yesterday that it found probable cause to file plunder and graft charges against Estrada, Revilla, Senator Juan Ponce Enrile and alleged pork scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.

Napoles is also facing charges of malversation and corruption of public officials by using bogus nongovernment organizations (NGOs) that supposedly pilfered government money from the pork barrel or Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of lawmakers.

The ombudsman’s announcement came after the Senate Blue Ribbon panel recommended the filing of charges against the three senators.

Both Estrada and Revilla are on vacation abroad but they vowed to return before Congress resumes session on May 4.

Estrada reiterated that he is ready to defend himself in the proper court.

“I believe that the court is the proper forum to prove my innocence and to defend myself,” Estrada said.

He expressed belief that the court will render “the proper decision and hopefully justice on the case.”

“Lastly, I would like to reiterate, as I have stated in my counter affidavit, that I have no knowledge or participation in the transfer of my PDAF to anyone other than to the legally intended beneficiaries thereof,” Estrada said.

He maintained that he did not receive or pocket money from Napoles, Ruby Tuason or any other person associated with her NGOs.

Speaking through his lawyer Joel Bodegon, Revilla assailed the act of the ombudsman to elevate the plunder complaint before the Sandiganbayan.

This clearly demonstrates grave abuse of discretion, the lawyer said, adding that it is an attempt to render Revilla’s petition with the Supreme Court moot and academic.

“We believe that the Court will act to protect its integrity and demand respect that is due it, against this incursion by the ombudsman, and resolve our petition on its merits and void the ombudsman’s actions,” Bodegon said.

He added that the ombudsman could not escape its grave abuse of discretion by ignoring the matter pending with Court.

“We were taken aback by the brazenness of the ombudsman in hastily resolving the preliminary investigation against Sen. Revilla,” Bodegon said.

Revilla’s lawyers have filed a petition for certiorari with the Supreme Court (SC) against the ombudsman for exercising grave abuse of discretion.

Bodegon said the oral arguments on that petition were supposed to be held Tuesday, but were moved back by the court to April 22.

“This act of the ombudsman is an affront to the jurisdiction and authority of the SC, which we pray the Court will not let pass,” Bodegon said.

Enrile has not issued any statement on the move of the Blue Ribbon committee as well as the ombudsman.

Estrada and Revilla also slammed the move of Senate Blue Ribbon committee chairman Sen. Teofisto Guingona III to release the draft report on the pork barrel inquiry.

Estrada accused the Blue Ribbon chairman of prejudgment even prior to releasing the committee report.

“Some of the members as well have shown and stated bias and partiality against their own beleaguered colleagues in pursuit of their personal ambitions and political agendas,” Estrada said.

He said the administration has been preoccupied with convicting him and his colleagues before the bar of public opinion.

He again questioned the administration’s move to single him, Revilla and Enrile.

“Why concentrate on just the three of us? What happened to the other legislators who were mentioned by whistle-blower Benhur Luy in his testimonies?” Estrada said.

He also asked why Guingona did not consider the findings of the Commission on Audit (COA), which found irregularities in the release of PDAF of hundreds of lawmakers, including allies of the administration.

“Why did the committee just concentrate on the NGOs connected to Mrs. Napoles when resolutions are filed directing the body to look into the other NGOs which received even bigger funds from the PDAF?” he said.

Estrada lamented that some of his colleagues are taking advantage of the three’s beleaguered situation to make themselves look good in the eyes of public.

Revilla said the Blue Ribbon chairman’s move affirmed his camp’s suspicion that he and his two colleagues are subjects of persecution.

“We are not surprised. This just affirms our suspicion from the beginning that this was merely an exercise in persecution,” Revilla said.

Drilon calls for speedy trial

Senate President Franklin Drilon called on the Sandiganbayan yesterday to set the case for speedy trial so that the innocent would be cleared of the charges and be set free, and the guilty punished and jailed.

“The search for truth is sometimes painful, but this is the kind of process that would strengthen our government institutions and reinforce the trust and confidence of our people in the justice system,” Drilon said.

As a nation, Drilon said the people must remain watchful and vigilant so that justice is served. “Whatever the outcome, our entire legal system now has the opportunity to show that we have a functioning system that can render fair, speedy and impartial justice,” he said.

“We are a government of laws and we are governed by the rule of law. We should abide by the process in accordance with the Constitution and our laws,” the Senate president said.

Drilon welcomed the decision of the ombudsman to file criminal charges for plunder against Enrile, Estrada, Revilla and several others for alleged misuse of PDAF.

He said it is part of “the constitutional and legal process to which we are all bound and which we must all accept and respect.”

“I welcome the fact that the ombudsman has performed her sworn duty as fast and as humanly possible. I am certain that her decision is purely based on an honest and objective appreciation and appraisal of the facts and evidence,” Drilon said in a statement.

Drilon noted that the finding of probable cause against the respondents was determined after “a careful and thorough evaluation of the case.”

The Sandiganbayan will now try and decide the case, the Senate president said, adding that the defense would be given its day in court.