The Sandiganbayan on Friday acquitted Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile, his former aide Gigi Reyes, and businesswoman Janet Napoles in a high-profile plunder case tied to the pork barrel scam. The court ruled that the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the trio conspired to illegally amass P172.83 million from Enrile’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).
Enrile, 100, expressed his confidence in the verdict, saying, “I knew all along that I will be acquitted because we have not done anything in this case. And I hope the people who filed those cases against us will examine their conscience.”
The case revolved around allegations that Enrile and Reyes colluded with Napoles, channeling funds through her ghost NGOs in exchange for kickbacks. However, the Sandiganbayan Special Third Division deemed the evidence against them insufficient, citing speculative claims and a lack of direct testimony linking Enrile to the illegal transactions.
“The prosecution’s evidence was clearly wanting,” the court stated, highlighting that none of the witnesses could confirm that Enrile personally received any kickbacks. The court also found the testimony of whistleblower Ruby Tuason inconclusive in proving that Reyes had received a total of P46.38 million in kickbacks.
Napoles, who is serving a separate sentence for other PDAF-related cases, expressed gratitude for the acquittal, saying, “God is good. Thank you to everyone who prayed for me.”
Despite the acquittal, the three still face pending graft charges in relation to the pork barrel scam.
