Justice’s ‘reflection’ defers decisions on Enrile PDAF cases
The Sandiganbayan’s Special Third Division has deferred the promulgation of its decisions on the remaining graft charges against former Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile and all his coaccused, including alleged “pork barrel queen” Janet Lim Napoles, after one of the justices submitted a “reflection” on the case.
The court’s clerk of court, lawyer Dennis Pulma, announced that the chair of the special division received the “reflection” by one of the members, but did not name who it was.
Further deliberation
“As such, it is proper to defer the promulgation as the reflection [submitted] will require further deliberation,” Pulma said.
The promulgation was rescheduled to Oct. 24, at 8:30 a.m., he also said.
The case was in connection with the alleged misuse of Enrile’s P172-million pork barrel, or the now abolished Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). Some of his coaccused include Napoles and his former chief of staff, Jessica “Gigi” Reyes.
The PDAF scandal came to light in 2013 after the Inquirer exposed the misuse of lawmakers’ discretionary funds for ghost projects. Under the scheme, PDAF allocations were allegedly funneled into bogus nongovernmental organizations run by Napoles.
Reyes and the rest of the coaccused, except for Napoles, who attended virtually, were physically present in the scheduled promulgation. Enrile, 101, also attended online.
