THE fate of other individuals facing charges in the alleged misuse of P10-billion Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) will depend on the competent courts's decision, Malacañang said on Monday, December 10.
Following the acquittal of former senator Ramon Revilla Jr. from plunder charges arising from the PDAF scam, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the executive branch would let the judiciary wield its own powers and decide on other pork barrel scheme cases.
"Again, that will depend on the evidence presented by the prosecution in those cases," the Palace official said, when asked if Revilla's acquittal could influence the courts decision on other PDAF scheme cases.
"It's the court's call. Constitutional duty is imposed on them to decide on the basis of evidence. We will not interfere," he added.
After over four years in detention, Revilla walked free on December 7 after he was cleared of plunder in the PDAF scam case.
READ: Sandiganbayan clears Bong Revilla of plunder
The Sandiganbayan First Division voted 3-2, acquitting Revilla of plunder but convicting his former staff member Richard Cambe and alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles and sentencing the two to 40-year imprisonment.
Revilla was accused of pocketing a total of P224.5 million in kickbacks, in exchange for the allocation of P517 million worth of his PDAF to Napoles's bogus non-government organizations.
While the actor-turned-politician has been cleared of plunder, he is stil facing 16 counts of graft in connection with the pork barrel fund scam but has posted bail of P480,000 for his temporary release.
Apart from Revilla, former senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada had likewise been implicated in the PDAF scheme. Enrile and Estrada were also charged with plunder and graft but are both out on bail.
Panelo was confident that the judiciary, composed of men with "independence and probity," would decide on pork barrel cases on the grounds of "law and evidence."
"I don't think any statement coming from the President, with respect to a personal opinion, will effect any influence on the part of the judiciary. These are men of independence and probity. They will decide on the basis of law and evidence," he said.
"Any accused or party litigant aggrieved or not satisfied with the decision, there are legal remedies available under the law. They can always go to the high court... We will not interfere with the courts. We will bow to the decision of the court. Dissenting opinion will always be there, but our rule is that majority prevails. So we will abide by that," he added. (SunStar Philippines)