MANILA, Philippines (ENS) — The Sandiganbayan granted Senator Juan Ponce Enrile’s request for hospital detention on Friday, allowing the senator’s hospital of choice, the Philippine National Police General Hospital, to continue holding him in custody as he stands trial for plunder and graft charges.
In a 16-page resolution, the anti-graft court’s third division also said that it is allowing hospital detention for the 90-year old senator until he is fit to be transferred to a facility of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.
The senator had also asked the court to allow him access to other medical facilities “in case of emergency of necessity.” This would be on condition that he will be under tight security by the assigned guards.
Enrile is charged with plunder and graft for allegedly receiving kickbacks and amassing wealth from commissions from the Priority Development Assistance Fund’s (PDAF) alleged anomalous projects handled by businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles and her group. Enrile’s former aide, lawyer Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes was named as among his co-conspirators.
in his oral arguments, his lawyer, Estelito Mendoza, said that Enrile’s condition remained frail because of his advanced age.
Enrile had been diagnosed with chronic hypertension, extensive coronary artery calcification in the right coronary, age-related macular degeneration, elevated fasting blood sugar, and mild anemia, among others, and is allegedly receiving at least 22 different medications for his various ailments. (Eagle News Service)