Press Release
April 1, 2014

STATEMENT OF SENATE PRESIDENT FRANKLIN M. DRILON
ON THE DECISION OF THE OMBUDSMAN TO FILE GRAFT CHARGES AGAINST SENATORS ENRILE, REVILLA, ESTRADA, ET AL.

The decision of the Ombudsman to file criminal charges for plunder against Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada and Ramon Bong Revilla et al. for alleged misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) is part of the constitutional and legal process to which we are all bound and which we must all accept and respect.

I welcome the fact that the Ombudsman has performed her sworn duty as fast as humanly possible. I am certain that her decision is purely based on an honest and objective appreciation and appraisal of the facts and evidence. And that the finding of probable cause against the respondents was determined after a careful and thorough evaluation of the case.

The Sandiganbayan will now try and decide the case. The defense would be given its day in court. We must give the court every opportunity to determine the whole truth and nothing but the truth - and to render judgment accordingly.

With due respect, I call on the Sandiganbayan to set the case for speedy trial so that the innocent would be cleared of the charges and set free, and the guilty punished and jailed.

The search for truth is sometimes painful, but this is the kind of process that would strengthen our government institutions and reinforce the trust and confidence of our people in the justice system.

As a nation and as a people, we must remain watchful and be vigilant so that justice is served. Whatever the outcome, our entire legal system now has the opportunity to show that we have a functioning system that can render fair, speedy and impartial justice.

We are a government of laws and we are governed by the rule of law. We should abide by the process in accordance with the Constitution and our laws.

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