MANILA, Philippines – Senator Juan Ponce Enrile (JPE), one of 3 senators charged with graft and plunder for misuse of public funds, is a free man, at least for now. The Supreme Court has just allowed the aging senator to post bail.
Enrile has been confined at the Philippine National Police (PNP) General Hospital in Quezon City, moving back after he recovered from a case of pneumonia which forced him to be transferred last March to the Makati Medical Center.
Also in March, 15 senators asked the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan to grant him "judicial compassion". They wanted him detained at his Dasmariñas Village residence instead of the PNP General Hospital in Quezon City.
Enrile was thrust into the spotlight when the issue on the misuse of the lawmakers' Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) exploded in mid-2013. Besides him, Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla also face charges before the Sandiganbayan.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and in September 2014, asked the Supreme Court to annul the order of the Sandiganbayan denying him bail.
In his petition, Enrile cited two mitigating circumstances – advanced age and voluntary surrender – as basis for his being entitled to post bail.
Rappler looks back at what the nonagenarian political veteran has been through since the pork barrel scam issue broke. Check out our timeline below to see the events that took place in Enrile's life.
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Source: Various news websites
See related links:
At 90, Enrile a bundle of contradictions
Why Enrile’s bail efforts were to no avail
After detention, are 3 PDAF senators richer or poorer?
Senators’ new houses ‘missing’ in SALNs
#AnimatED: Pork barrel cases vs 3 senators plod on
EDITORIAL CARTOON: Jailhouse Blues for 3 VIPs
10 things you may not know about JPE
Napoles’ ‘tell-all’ favors Enrile, Estrada and Revilla
Pork barrel scam: Inconsistencies in senators’ counter-affidavits
PODCAST: Revisiting the PDAF cases a year after