The Supreme Court has given the green light to the Sandiganbayan to proceed with the plunder case of former Senator and now Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile. The Office of the Ombudsman filed these charges back in 2014.
The plunder case accuses Enrile of pocketing more than PHP 172 million in pork barrel funds. Enrile’s petition for prohibition argued that the Sandiganbayan violated his constitutional right by refusing to control the prosecution’s evidence.
Also read: VP Sara Duterte and Family Fly To Germany
The Supreme Court has dismissed his petition with a vote of 13-0. It said the prosecution should not be limited to what is stated in the bill of particulars.
“The prosecution must be allowed to present evidence based on its discretion and in accordance with the law and the rules,” The Court stated. “It has the right to determine what evidence should be presented, when, and for what purposes. Its discretion is limited only by the requirement that the evidence must be admissible.”
Juan Ponce Enrile tries to counter by invoking age, speedy trial in getting Sandiganbayan to immediately dismiss the plunder case. The Supreme Court stated that the Sandiganbayan acted in accordance with the law and jurisprudence, and Enrile’s claim that his constitutional rights were violated was without merit.
Also read: Marcos Considers New Flood Control Plans After Typhoon Carina
The court also emphasized that a bill of particulars can restrict the prosecution’s evidence, but it must be relevant to the specific crime charged in the information. Some information was not included in the bill of particulars, as ordered by the Court in its 2015 decision. However, some of the details are relevant to the case.
Juan Ponce Enrile has yet to reply as of Monday night regarding the matter.
Keep Reading: Philippine Public Schools Delay Opening Due to Typhoon Carina
Leave a Reply