Top Cagayan Region politicians to Ombudsman: Revoke Enrile’s bail

By Czarina Nicole Ong

TUGUEGARAO CITY -- Two officials of Cagayan Valley province urged Ombudsman Samuel Martires to take action and revoke the bail granted by the Supreme Court to former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile in relation to his plunder charge before the Sandiganbayan.

Gov. Manuel Namba and former Buguey Mayor Ignacio Taruc of Cagayan Valley – both known members of the Liberal Party (LP) – wrote to Martires on October 22, 2018 and urged him to “seek the cancellation” of Enrile’s bail.

Enrile has one plunder and 15 graft charges before the Sandiganbayan Third Division because of the reported misuse of his priority development assistance fund (PDAF), which he allegedly endorsed to the bogus non-government organizations (NGOs) owned by Janet Lim Napoles in exchange for kickbacks.

Back in 2015, the SC allowed him to post bail for his plunder charge out of humanitarian considerations.

But Namba and Taruc are now questioning Enrile’s “allegation of poor health,” since he has enough strength to file his certificate of candidacy (COC) and run for Senator in the May 13, 2019 elections.

“Seeking a seat in the Senate necessarily entails a nationwide campaign that even a healthy person will find strenuous,” they wrote in the letter. “This only proves that Juan Ponce Enrile falsely appealed to the Supreme Court’s pity to gain the relief of bail.”

The two stressed that Enrile is “not so ill as to be incapable of flight,” so they believe it’s high time he be sent back to jail.

“Sir, we are local leaders in Cagayan who witnessed how Juan Ponce Enrile and his minions ravaged our beloved province for 40 years,” they pleaded. “Even to the extent of oppression through false charges. Juan Ponce Enrile is, and has always been, a liar and plunderer, no matter how frail he may look. Please do not be moved by his deception.”

Aside from Enrile, former Senators Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada have also been charged with plunder and graft before different divisions of the Sandiganbayan due to the multi-million PDAF scam.

Last year, Estrada was allowed to post bail amounting to P1,330,000 – P1 million for plunder, and P330,000 for his 11 graft charges because the Fifth Division ruled he was not the “main plunderer” in the case.

Only Revilla remains locked up in jail, but the First Division is slated to make a decision regarding his plunder charge within the year. He is facing one plunder charge and 16 counts of graft.

All three of them are gunning for a seat in the Senate next year.