Enrile plea to dismiss plunder case to be resolved later – graft court

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 20) – The Sandiganbayan will not yet decide on chief presidential legal adviser Juan Ponce Enrile’s plea for the immediate dismissal of his plunder case over the alleged misuse of his pork barrel.

In a decision dated Oct. 13, the anti-graft court’s Third Division said Enrile’s plea will be decided simultaneously or jointly with the main decision after the presentation of evidence of the other co-accused.

The court said it is in “pursuant to Section 8, Rule VIII of the 2018 Revised Internal Rules of the Sandiganbayan, and for the orderly disposition of this case.”

Enrile filed a demurrer to evidence last month, which essentially seeks the immediate dismissal of his case after the prosecution rested its case.

He is accused of pocketing over ₱170 million in kickbacks in exchange of diverting his pork barrel to bogus non-government organizations controlled by businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles.

The former senator is out on bail for humanitarian considerations.