Pres. Aquino: Enrile’s Bail Will Not Stop Campaign Against Corrupt Officials

Manila — President Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday maintained that the Supreme Court decision to grant Senator Juan Ponce Enrile bail would not undermine the government’s campaign to pursue corrupt officials.

During a media interview in Cebu City, President Aquino was asked if the granting of bail to Enrile would affect the government’s anti-corruption drive.

“Iyong pinakaimportante ayon kay (Justice) Secretary Leila (de Lima), kasi parang ang plunder na isa sa mga kaso ay supposed to be non-bailable. Ngayon doon sa pagiging non-bailable, marami dito sa mga non-bailable na asunto pwede nang mabigyan ng piyansa kapag mababa ‘yung ebidensiya, ‘yung mahina ang ebidensiya. Importante yatang tingnan natin doon sa desisyon ng Korte Suprema ay wala silang binabanggit tungkol doon sa ebidensiyang hinarap at tila nakasentro doon sa edad at kalagayan ng kalusugan ni Senator Enrile. So, maaapektuhan ba? Hindi. Tuluy-tuloy ang kampanya natin,” he said, noting that the National Bureau of Investigation has recently filed at the Ombudsman the third set of cases against officals suspected of misusing their pork barrel funds.

“Hindi ho nahihinto at tuloy pa rin ‘yung paglilitis,” he said.

The President reiterated that the Supreme Court released Enrile on bail for humanitarian reasons rather than weak evidence against the senator.

“Ulitin ko, ‘yung piyansa ay hindi — ‘yung iba meron na sigurong nagsasabi ‘ayan ebidensiya na mahina — ‘parang pruweba na mahina ‘yung ebidensiya’. So, nilinaw ‘nung desisyon na hindi pinag-uusapan — sa aking pag-unawa — ‘yung kalibre o ‘yung kalidad ‘nung ebidensiyang inilaan at bagkus, hindi ba, ‘yung kalusugan at edad ni Senator Enrile ang binigyan ng punto,” he explained.

The 91-year old senator, who is facing graft and plunder charges for the alleged misuse of public funds, has been under hospital arrest at the Philippine National Police General Hospital in Quezon City until his request for bail was granted last week. Plunder is a non-bailable offense.

When asked about renewed calls for the Supreme Court to also grant former president now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo bail, President Aquino said those who have committed crimes must be held accountable.

“Ang tanong ko nga lang ho rito, ano ho ba ang dapat na ipakita natin sa kasalukuyang sambayanan at lalo na sa susunod na salinlahi? Sa akin ho kasi importante na kung may ginawa kang krimen, kailangan pagbayaran,” Aquino said.

He emphasized that it is not enough to bring criminals to court – they must also be convicted of their crimes.

“Kailangan kung mabigat ang krimeng ginawa mo, may mabigat rin namang dapat na kaparusahan,” he added.

Arroyo faces a P366-million plunder case in connection with the alleged misuse of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office intelligence fund during her second term as president from 2004 to 2010, as well as electoral sabotage for alleged election fraud in the 2004 presidential elections and the 2007 senatorial elections. (PCOO/PND (ag)