Gigi Reyes' return helps afford her due process  – Palace exec

 News
Apr 192014
 

Ex-Enrile aide Gigi Reyes comes home

Ex-Enrile aide Gigi Reyes comes home. Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile’s former chief of staff Gigi Reyes arrives in Manila from the US early Saturday, April 19, 2014. Reyes is among those charged with plunder for the PDAF scam. Reina Anne Dimapawi

A Malacañang official on Saturday said the return from the US of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile’s former chief of staff Jessica “Gigi” Reyes helps afford her “due process.”

“[Her return] will afford her the opportunity for the full application of her right to due process,” Malacañang spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.

Reyes, a key personality in the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam and one of several people charged with plunder because of it, arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 via PR-105 from San Francisco, GMA News reported.

“I’m facing the charges. I’ve always faced it,” Reyes quoted as saying upon her arrival.

On April 7, Reyes’ representatives asked the Office of the Ombudsman to reconsider its decision to file plunder charges against her over the alleged P10-billion por barrel scam.

Reyes claimed her constitutional right to due process was violated, and denied receiving any commission from Enrile’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), popularly known as pork barrel.

Last April 1, the Ombudsman found probable cause to indict Reyes, Senators Enrile, Ramon Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada, as well as alleged scam operator Janet Lim-Napoles, with plunder.

The National Bureau of Investigation had alleged that Reyes had signed documents related to the release of Enrile’s pork barrel funds to bogus non-government organizations linked to Napoles.

Meanwhile, Enrile’s camp declined to comment on Reyes’ return.

Commenting on the Reyes’ return, Senator Grace Poe on Saturday said, “Our countrymen clamor for the truth and expect its unsullied exposition in pursuit of the nation’s highest interest.”

“Together we should encourage and support those who will champion the truth and those who will favor the public good,” she added, in a post on her Twitter account. — Amanda Fernandez /LBG, GMA News

Senate leaders: Funds for oversight panels not ending up in senators’ pockets

 News
Feb 242014
 
Senate leaders: Funds for oversight panels not ending up in senators’ pockets

Millions of pesos being allocated to Senate oversight committees are not ending up in senators’ pockets, Senate leaders said Monday. In a radio interview, Senate President Franklin Drilon said the annual budget for each of the chamber’s 24 oversight committees are all accounted for. “I can tell you, nagko-comply ang lahat ng mga senador. In fact, hirap na hirap mag-liquidate ng mga budget ng bawat komite,” Drilon said told radio dzRH. He added that oversight committees are required to present receipts and certifications for all their fund releases. A Philippine Star report published earlier in the day said the Commission on Audit (COA) recently sent a memorandum reminding senators on the proper use of funds for oversight committees. Oversight committees are created to check the implementation of specific laws. Some existing oversight panels include those tasked to monitor the Clean Air Act, the Overseas Voting Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Law. Audited, liquidated The reported COA memorandum came out amid accusations that Senators Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., Juan Ponce Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada pocketed millions in their pork barrel funds. The three lawmakers have repeatedly denied these allegations. In a separate statement, Senate secretary Oscar Yabes said that although he has not yet seen the COA memorandum, the issues being raised on the budget of oversight panels “have been addressed already.” Yabes added that funds for these committees go to salaries of staff members and consultans, and not to the pockets of senators who chair the panels. “The Senate is Read More …

Miriam: Lacson, Enrile have 'relationship with feelings'

 News
Dec 042013
 
Miriam: Lacson, Enrile have 'relationship with feelings'

Miriam rages at Enrile, calls him ‘womanizer’. Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago challenges Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile (seated in lower left) to a televised debate on the PDAF scam, after calling him a litany of names. The elder statesman seemed unfazed, as he was seen on television fiddling with his tablet computer while his mortal enemy declaimed. Benjie Castro Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago on Wednesday did not spare former Senator Panfilo Lacson from her strongly-worded privilege speech against Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce-Enrile. Santiago said Enrile has “a relationship with feelings” with Lacson, whom she also called as the opposition leader’s “attack dog.” Asked to comment on Santiago’s remarks, Lacson said he “won’t waste time on rubbish.” Santiago further accused Enrile of coddling Lacson when the latter became a fugitive from justice in 2010. “Many believe that Enrile provided safe haven to Lacson in Cagayan. That is why these two men are so close,” Santiago said. She further said that Lacson got recently appointed as rehabilitation czar “to abort the endless stream of his self-serving press releases whenever there is a vacancy.” Over the weekend, Lacson confirmed that he will head efforts to rebuild communities destroyed by Typhoon Yolanda. During his Senate stint, Lacson also engaged in a word war with Santiago, calling her a hypocrite and a “crusading crook.” Santiago, in return, threatened to expose Lacson’s sexuality.  — ELR, GMA News

Plunder raps filed vs Napoles, three senators in pork scam

 News
Sep 162013
 
Plunder raps filed vs Napoles, three senators in pork scam

The Office of the Ombudsman received on Monday plunder raps against businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles and at least three senators said to have benefitted in the P10 billion pork barrel scam.  The accused lawmakers are Senators Ramon Revilla Jr., former Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile and former Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Estrada. The Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation submitted the complaint around 3:30 p.m on Monday.  The pork barrel scam was allegedly led by Napoles, who turned fugitive after a court ordered her arrest over serious illegal detention of her employee and main scam whistleblower Benhur Luy. She surrendered two weeks later. Napoles was accused of being behind questionable NGOs that implemented ghost projects using pork funds, also known as the Priority Development Assistance Fund. The funds were supposedly siphoned to the pockets of Napoles and lawmakers. Luy in a Senate hearing said the division could reach up to 50-50.  Napoles is detained at Fort Santo Domingo in Laguna. —KG, GMA News

Nancy Binay: Senate minority won’t be bullied

 Entertainment
Jul 232013
 

MANILA  (Mabuhay) — Despite being in the Senate minority, Senator Nancy Binay believes she and her colleagues will not be bullied. In an ambush interview, Binay said: “With the likes of Sen. [Juan Ponce] Enrile, Sen. [Gringo] Honasan, I won’t think kaya kaming ma-bully ng majority.” Enrile became minority leader on Tuesday, during the start […]

No categorical resignation from Sotto as Senate adjourns sine die

 News
Jun 062013
 
No categorical resignation from Sotto as Senate adjourns sine die

Although he announced early Thursday that he will resign as Senate majority floor leader, Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III came short of categorically quitting his post during the chamber’s last session day. In the last few minutes before the Senate adjourned sine die, Sotto only said, “As the curtain falls on the 15th Congress, as its legal life draws its breath end of June, please consider my position co-terminus therewith.” After the session adjourned, Sotto explained that his pronouncement was in essence a resignation,so that he will no longer have to perform his job as majority leader when the 16th Congress opens next month. Under Senate rules, officers will end their terms only when their successors have been elected. “If I did not say that and I didn’t do that, I will be a carryover until 16th Congress until July 22. E ayoko na nga e,” Sotto said. “As of today, I consider myself resigned… Gets na nila iyon,” he added. Sotto also said he came short of immediately resigning for the sake of his employees, who will lose their jobs if he did so. Sotto’s statement was in contrast with that of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, who categorically said in a privilege speech Wednesday that he is quitting his post as Senate president. Sotto and Enrile’s moves came amid news of an impending change in the Senate’s leadership next Congress. Sen. Franklin Drilon, an administration ally, is eyeing to replace Enrile as Senate president after the ruling party secured Read More …