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Source: www.gmanetwork.com
The Supreme Court on Tuesday voted 8-4 to grant the bail petition of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, one of the three senators facing graft and plunder charges in connection with the alleged pork barrel scam.
The decision was announced by SC spokesman Ted Te at a press briefing Tuesday afternoon. He did not provide any details.
“The court granted the petition for bail of petitioner Juan Ponce Enrile, subject to the terms and conditions to be specified by the Court in its Order which will be forthcoming,” he said.
A News TV Live report said the high court set Enrile's bail at P1 million.
In his report on "Balitanghali," GMA News' Joseph Morong said those who dissented were Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, and Associate Justices Estela Perlas Bernabe and Marvic Leonen.
Te, at the briefing, said Associate Francis Jardeleza inhibited because he used to serve as the Solicitor General, while Associate Justice Bienvenido Reyes was on leave.
JPE will be "overjoyed"
Lawyer Estelito Mendoza, Enrile’s counsel, believed the veteran senator "will be overjoyed to regain his freedom and grateful to the Supreme Court."
“Most of those now detained, about 90 percent are like him, in preventive detention, meaning only undergoing trial, and not serving sentence,” he said.
Enrile, 91, filed his petition on September 4, 2014, citing his advanced age and voluntary surrender to the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court.
Now that Enrile can post bail, he can return to the Senate to resume his duties and responsibilities as a lawmaker, his lawyer said. The 90-day suspension order meted out by the Sandiganbayan Third Division on July 25, 2014, has already lapsed.
Enrile's trial for his alleged involvement in the P10-billion scam is still pending before the Sandiganbayan.
Aside from Enrile, the two other senators facing graft and plunder for allegedly misusing their pork barrel, or Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), are Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada.
Enrile is currently on hospital arrest at the PNP General Hospital while Estrada and Revilla are detained at the PNP Custodial Center, both in Camp Crame in Quezon City.
Several former and current members of the House of Representatives and private individuals, as well as alleged scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles, are also facing charges in connection with the alleged anomaly.
Legal victory
Enrile's colleagues in the Senate, meanwhile, welcomed the high court's decision.
Senator Francis Escudero on Tuesday welcomed the decision of the SC on Enrile’s petition saying it will be beneficial to many other accused.
"This is a seminal and precedent setting decision on the right to bail given the unique theory used by Senator Enrile," said Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero in a text message to GMA News Online. "Many other accused can benefit from this decision."
“I congratulate him on his legal victory and look forward to working with him again in the Senate,” Escudero added.
Senator Aquilino Pimentel III said he already expected a favorable decision for Enrile. “I expected that. Good for Sen JPE,” he said in a separate text message.
Senate President Franklin Drilon said the Senate will respect the SC decision granting bail to Enrile.
“The Senate will always respect, follow and implement every decision of the courts. We will abide by the legal processes as we have always done in the past,” he said in a press statement.
Senator Ralph Recto, in jest, said he is “looking forward to working with the youngest member of the Senate.”
He said with the full agenda of Senate, hard labor awaits Enrile.
“With his experience, he can certainly enrich the discussions on the budget and the BBL (Bangsamoro Basic Law). It is also worth noting that his liberty came on the 70th anniversary of the end of the war with Japan, which he fought in, and serves as a testament to the man’s resilience and staying power,” he said in a press statement.
