Cagayan Gov. Mamba urges revocation of Enrile's temporary freedom

Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba has urged Ombudsman Samuel Martires to block the temporary liberty of former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile granted to him by the Supreme Court for alleged deception regarding his health condition.

In a letter received by the Ombudsman's records division on Tuesday, Mamba said the aspirations of Enrile for another six-year term in the Senate proves that his claim of poor health is false since he is capable of launching a nationwide campaign.

"Seeking a seat in the Senate necessarily entails a nationwide campaign that even a healthy person will find strenuous. This only proves that Juan Ponce Enrile falsely appealed to the Supreme Court's pity to gain the relief of bail," Mamba said.

READ: Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba urges Ombudsman Samuel Martires to seek the revocation of former Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile’s temporary freedom granted to him by the Supreme Court in 2015. Ex-Buguey Mayor Ignacio Taruc also a signatory in the letter. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/vHZvGrPW0X

— TJ Roxas (@tj_roxas) October 24, 2018

Enrile is accused of amassing ill-gotten wealth worth P172 million in connection with the pork barrel scam and was on hospital arrest in Camp Crame until the SC allowed him to post bail in 2015 due to humanitarian grounds.

He had cited his "poor health and elderly age" before the SC.

Three years later, the 94-year-old former lawmaker filed his certificate of candidacy for senator in the 2019 polls and gave the assurance that he is "physically decrepit to run for public office." 

Mamba said this should be sufficient basis for the Ombudsman to seek the revocation of the P1-million bail bond of Enrile.

He warned Martires of the consequences once Enrile wins his re-election bid.

"Sir, we are local leaders in Cagayan who witnessed how Juan Ponce Enrile and his minions ravaged our beloved province for 40 years. Even to the extent of oppression through false charges," Mamba said.

"Juan Ponce Enrile is, and always has been, a liar and plunderer, no matter how frail he may look. Please do not be moved by his deception. At the end of the day, he is, as he should be, made accountable for his actions," he added.

Apart from Mamba, former Buguey Mayor Ignacio Taruc is also a signatory in the letter.

Reached for his comment later in the day, Enrile just shrugged off Mamba's request to the Ombudsman.

“I will not waste my time on him or any person like him. Kaaway niya lahat ng tao. I have nothing else to say,” Enrile told GMA News Online.

The plunder case of Enrile at the Sandiganbayan is still at the marking of evidence stage.

In contrast, the same cases of his former Senate colleagues Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. are already in the trial stage and pending decision, respectively.

Both are also seeking Senate seats anew.

Revilla's certificate of candidacy for senator was filed by his wife, actress and Bacoor City Mayor Lani Mercado-Revilla, on October 17.

Estrada filed his COC a day earlier. —KG/MDM/RSJ, GMA News