Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile (center) arriving at the Sandiganbayan on Friday, Oct. 4 (Mark Balmores/MANILA BULLETIN)

ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro slammed the “persistent inequality” in the Philippines’ justice system following the acquittal of former Senate President and now Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile on a plunder case over the pork barrel scam.

In a statement on Friday, Oct. 4, Castro claimed that the justice system continues to favor the powerful while ordinary Filipinos often bear the brunt of “systemic injustice”.

"It is disheartening to witness how high-profile individuals escape accountability while the common Filipino faces harsh penalties for lesser offenses,” the lawmaker said.

"Kapag mahihirap na nagnakaw o napagbintangan pa lang kulong agad at pinagbabayad din agad pero kapag mayayaman hirit agad ng house o hospital detention tapos acquitted. Ngayon sino mananagot sa nawalang pondo ng bayan?” she stressed.

(When the poor steal or are merely accused, they are immediately imprisoned and made to pay, but when the rich are involved, they request house or hospital detention and then get acquitted. Now, who will be held accountable for the lost public funds?)

The Sandiganbayan on Friday acquitted Enrile, his former Senate chief of staff Gigi Reyes, and businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles, after the anti-graft court found that the prosecution did not prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

Enrile was accused of allegedly receiving P172.8 million in "kickbacks" from his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), which were reportedly funneled to bogus non-government organizations (NGOs) of Napoles. The alleged funds were received by the former senator through Reyes.

According to Castro, a deputy minority leader, the acquittal is a “major blow” to the ongoing campaign against corruption in the government.

"Ang ganitong ruling ang nagpapakita ng di magandang halimbawa sa mga kabataan na basta maimpluwensya at mapera ka ay makakalusot ka maski ‘di mo pinapaliwanag saan mo winaldas o kung kinurakot mo ang pera ng bayan," she underscored.

(This kind of ruling sets a bad example for the youth by showing that as long as you are influential and wealthy, you can get away with things without explaining where you squandered or embezzled public funds.)

'Vomit-inducing'

For his part, Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel described the acquittal as “vomit-inducing” especially after nearly 10 years of protests against the infamous pork barrel system.

“Sampal ito sa aming mga kabataan at estudyante na lumaban sa lansangan at iba pang espasyo noong 2013 at 2014 para ilantad ang sistematikong korapsyon sa gobyerno,” added Manuel.

(This is a slap in the face to the youth and students who protested in the streets and other spaces in 2013 and 2014 to expose systematic corruption in the government.)

With this, Castro highlighted the need for reforms within the Philippine judicial system to ensure impartiality and accountability in handling corruption cases.

"The acquittal of Enrile, despite the seriousness of the charges, only strengthens the call for a thorough overhaul of our justice system to prevent further miscarriages of justice,” the teacher-solon noted.

She said pursuing reforms would help restore the public’s confidence in the justice system.