Gov’t lawyers ask Sandiganbayan to suspend JPE

MANILA, Philippines - Lawyers of the Office of the Ombudsman are asking the Sandiganbayan to order the suspension of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile while he is being tried for plunder and graft in relation to the pork barrel scam.

In a motion filed yesterday, government prosecutors called on the anti-graft court’s Third Division to issue a preventive suspension order against the 90-year-old senator based on Section 5 of the Plunder Law.

Enrile, who was arraigned last week, is seeking either hospital or house arrest because of his medical problems. He is currently detained at the Philippine National Police General Hospital (PNPGH) in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

The ombudsman had earlier asked the Sandiganbayan First and Fifth Divisions to suspend Senators Ramon Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada, who are likewise facing plunder charges for their alleged involvement in the misuse of the pork barrel or Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of lawmakers.

The Sandiganbayan is yet to act on the motions against Revilla and Estrada, both detained at the PNP Custodial Center also in Camp Crame, and Revilla’s chief of staff Richard Cambe.

“Considering that accused Enrile is an incumbent member of the Philippine Senate and is charged with plunder, the prosecution moves for his suspension pendite lite pursuant to Republic Act 7080,” said ombudsman prosecutors led by Deputy Special Prosecutor John Turalba.

“The purpose of the suspension, notwithstanding his present detention, is to preserve the integrity of the prosecution of the accused by preventing him from intimidating or influencing witnesses or tampering documentary evidence and to avoid further acts of malfeasance while in office,” the ombudsman stressed. 

Government lawyers pushing for the suspension of Enrile, Revilla, Estrada and Cambe are emphasizing that suspension pending trial is mandatory under the Plunder Law.

“Once the Information (criminal complaint) is found to be sufficient in form and substance, the court is bound to issue an order of suspension as a matter of course, and there seems to be no ifs and buts about it,” the Office of the Ombudsman said.