By PRINCE GOLEZ
Manila Reporter
MANILA — Senate President Franklin Drilon yesterday said he would not allow the three senators implicated in the pork barrel scam to get arrested inside the Senate.
Drilon said he will ask the arresting officers to take senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. from outside the Senate building.
“Sa labas ng building. Ang ipapakiusap ko ay sa labas na lang,” said the senator from Iloilo City. While it is a matter of “institutional courtesy,” the law enforcers can opt not to take his suggestion, he clarified.
The Office of the Ombudsman the other day denied the motions of reconsideration filed by the accused. It said the appeals were “rehashes of the arguments previously raised and already resolved by this Office.”
Yesterday afternoon, the Ombudsman has filed before the Sandiganbayan charges for plunder and violation of Section 3 (e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against Enrile, Estrada and Revilla.
The three were accused of funneling their pork barrel funds to bogus nongovernment organizations of businesswoman Janet Lim–Napoles. Napoles, the alleged scam mastermind, had been charged, too.
Drilon said the case will soon be raffled and assigned to a Sandiganbayan division.
He said the justices will then review the affidavits and determine if there is enough basis for the issuance of an arrest warrant.
“The issuance of a warrant of arrest is not automatic. Sa jurisprudence at sa ating Saligang Batas, the judge would have to personally determine whether or not the evidence is sufficient to warrant the issuance of the warrant of arrest,” the Ilonggo senator explained.
Asked for his advice to his colleagues, Drilon said, “Just follow the process,” adding that he expects them to “respect the process and avail (themselves) of remedies.”
The Senate president also believes his colleagues’ possible arrest will not affect the morale of the other senators. “It won’t make any difference at this point,” he stressed.
“Senators come and go. And Senate will stay as an institution of democracy,” Drilon said./PN
