Malacañang on Friday, October 24, distanced itself from the Sandiganbayan’s decision to acquit Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile and other alleged cohorts, telling the public to respect the court’s decision.
The anti-graft court acquitted Enrile, his former staff member Gigi Reyes and businesswoman Janet Napoles of the remaining graft charges in connection with the pork barrel scam.
‘Igalang po natin kung ano ang desisyon ng korte,’ Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a press briefing on Friday. (Let us respect the decision of the court.)
Asked if the Sandiganbayan’s ruling may cause the public to doubt the government’s ability to convict alleged plunderers, Castro maintained that the Palace had no hand in influencing the court’s decision.
‘There is a separation of powers and we need to respect this because if not, we will not respect the decision of the courts, the country will become chaotic,’ Castro said in Filipino.
The country’s anti-corruption mechanisms have recently come under fire following the suspected multibillion-peso kickback scheme in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
A secret deal?
One of the senators tagged in the DPWH flood control scam is Sen. Joel Villanueva. Ombudsman Boying Remulla recently sought to reinforce a previous ruling by then Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales to dismiss Villanueva from office over his alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam.
However, her successor, Samuel Martires, had apparently granted Villanueva’s motion for reconsideration in a ‘secret decision.’
Castro said that if this decision is true, it is worrisome and may cause the people to doubt the country’s justice system.
The Palace expressed faith in Remulla’s capability as the new Ombudsman to probe the matter.