The Sandiganbayan denied the plea of lawyer Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes, then chief of staff of former Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile, to allow her non-appearance during the trials of her plunder and graft cases.
While plunder is a non-bailable offense, the Supreme Court (SC) had allowed provisional liberty to Reyes, who had been in detention for more than nine years.
The SC ruled that Reyes’ release is warranted as her continued detention “though in accordance with a court order of the Sandiganbayan, violates her right to speedy trial and infringes on her right to liberty.”
But the SC imposed as one of the conditions for her provisional liberty that Reyes should personally appear during the trial of her cases.
With the SC’s ruling, Reyes was released last Jan. 19 from the Taguig City Jail Female Dormitory, a facility managed by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
Together with Enrile, Reyes was charged with plunder and graft in the alleged misuse of the former senator’s P172-million priority development assistance fund (PDAF). Enrile had earlier been granted bail.
Reyes personally appeared before the Sandiganbayan’s and pleaded her non-appearance in the trial of her cases.
Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Bernelito R. Fernandez said that the anti-graft court will abide by the SC's decision for Reyes to be present during all her hearings.
“It is very clear and categorical that she should appear personally in the hearings for her criminal cases,” Justice Fernandez said.
The next hearing for the plunder and graft cases of Reyes is set on Feb. 7 and every Tuesday and Thursday thereafter starting at 2 p.m.
TAGS: #Sandiganbayan #Jessica Lucila G. Reyes #Plunder, Graft