Senate yet to implement suspension orders vs. Enrile, Jinggoy

The Senate has yet to implement the suspension orders of the Sandiganbayan against Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile and Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who are both facing plunder and graft charges in connection with the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam.

 

During the opening of the 2nd regular session of the 16th Congress Monday, Senator Tito Sotto asked how the absence of Enrile, Estrada and another detained colleague, Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., will be recorded.

 

Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said the three are recorded as “under detention.”  

Senate President Franklin Drilon said it was the same treatment given to Senator Antonio Trillanes IV when he was still detained.

 

Estrada and Revilla are detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center while Enrile is at the PNP General Hospital.

 

Drilon added that since the court states that a motion for reconsideration for the suspension from office for 90 days can still be filed, the order is not yet final.

 

On Friday, the anti-graft court’s Third Division ordered the suspension of Enrile while Estrada’s suspension was ordered by the Fifth Division on July 18.

The camps of Enrile and Estrada have earlier signified intentions of appealing the suspension orders against the two senators. 

The anti-graft court, meanwhile, has yet to issue any suspension order against Revilla.

 

Meanwhile, also absent from the session was Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago who is suffering from lung cancer. — RSJ, GMA News