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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Dinaan sa limot?': De Lima airs frustration over Enrile's acquittal from 'pork' cases

'Dinaan sa limot?': De Lima airs frustration over Enrile's acquittal from 'pork' cases

Published Oct 24, 2025 03:45 pm

At A Glance

  • Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima couldn't hide her frustration--and worries for the future--in light of the Sandiganbayan's acquittal of Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile in "pork barrel" graft cases.
Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima (left), Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile (Facebook)
Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima (left), Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile (Facebook)


Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima couldn't hide her frustration--and worries for the future--in light of the Sandiganbayan's acquittal of Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile in "pork barrel" graft cases.
De Lima slammed in particular the slow pace of justice in the country which she claimed benefitted the likes of former senator Enrile.
"This is always what is so frustrating for the Ombudsman and the DOJ (Department of Justice)," De Lima said in a statement Friday, Oct. 24.
"We started fresh and strong on the evidence when we filed the PDAF cases, strong enough to even deny Enrile and [Gigi] Reyes bail in the separate plunder cases. The problem is the slow wheels of justice, with the accused relying on the public's short memory to eventually be absolved because of less scrutiny over their cases over years of trial," she said.
Years ago, pork barrel or discretionary funds in the legislature were referred to as Priority Development Assistance Funds, or PDAF. These have since been demonized as prone to abuse and corruption.
"If this is what will happen to the flood control project cases, good luck to us. But then, some people are just really luckier than others," De Lima said, as she raised concern about the possible outcome of the inquiry on the flood control projects mess.
"Faith in our justice system is difficult to achieve and/or sustain if the courts apply a different kind of justice to privileged offenders as compared to common accused," she said.
The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) is conducting the investigation on the anomalous and 'ghost" flood control projects.
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