MANILA, Philippines - Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada can now file measures and get salaries again.
The Senate leadership reinstated the entitlements of the two senators yesterday after they finished serving the 90-day suspension ordered by the Sandiganbayan.
“Yes, their entitlements as members of the Senate have been reinstated. Well, except for the fact that they cannot vote, because voting requires physical presence,” Senate President Franklin Drilon said yesterday.
Drilon said the two senators have served their suspension that ended on Nov. 28 for Enrile, and on Nov. 29 in the case of Estrada.
“So, in accordance with the order which we implemented, the suspensions were terminated on those days, on the end of the 90-day period,” the Senate president said.
“They are presumed innocent until proven guilty after all. We are only implementing the suspension order. So they are just back in the same situation as before their suspension,” he said.
As regards the possibility of conducting hearings while under detention at Camp Crame, Estrada and Enrile would have to probably ask the permission of the courts.
“That is a matter for the court and custodian to decide,” Drilon said.
Estrada and Enrile, along with Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr., are detained in Camp Crame on plunder charges in connection with the pork barrel fund misuse.
Revilla’s suspension will be lifted next month.
Based on the rules, Enrile’s suspension ended yesterday, Dec. 1, while that of Estrada ends today, Dec. 2 considering that the suspensions started on the day that Drilon implemented them.
Sandiganbayan Third Division clerk of court Dennis Pulma said all of the powers, rights and functions of suspended public officials are automatically lifted after the suspension period is served.
Sandiganbayan Fifth Division clerk of court Ma. Teresa Pabulayan said a court order is no longer required to lift a suspension after it has been served.
She told The STAR that Estrada’s duties and responsibilities as a lawmaker are now restored pursuant to the automatic lifting of his suspension.
Revilla, however, will have to wait for two more months before he can return to work since Drilon was only able to begin implementing his 90-day preventive suspension on Oct. 27.
Estrada and Revilla are currently being held without bail at the Philippine National Police custodial center while Enrile is under hospital arrest at the PNP General Hospital.
All three are facing separate plunder complaints and graft cases before the Sandiganbayan along with other public and private individuals, including alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles. – With Michael Punongbayan