Malacañang on Friday called on the public to respect the Sandiganbayan’s decision clearing former Senate president and now Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile of his remaining graft charges related to the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam.
“The court has spoken, so let’s respect it. Let’s respect whatever decision the court has made,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said during a media briefing.
Castro dismissed concerns that the Marcos administration was being lenient toward Enrile, emphasizing that the Palace upholds the independence of the judiciary.
She stressed that the President values due process and wants cases to be handled meticulously. “What the President wants is that when a case is filed, it shouldn’t be rushed—the evidence must be complete. Because if there are even small mistakes, especially in a criminal case, any doubt—and if the accused is not proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt—will lead to an acquittal,” Castro explained.
