Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Saturday, Oct. 25, urged Filipinos to remain vigilant and continue engaging in peaceful protest action, which he called the "best safeguard" against abuse in government.

He said this in a radio interview with Usapang Senado over DWIZ following the Sandiganbayan’s acquittal of Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile and 32 others in connection with the alleged misuse of P172 million in Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) when the latter was still a senator.

Enrile’s former chief of staff Jessica “Gigi” Reyes, former deputy chief of staff Jose Antonio Evangelista II, and businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles--the so-called "pork barrel scam queen"--were also acquitted of their 15 graft charges.

Reacting to the court ruling, Pangilinan questioned whether the same pattern of acquittals could happen again in other corruption cases, including those about the flood control corruption scandal.

“’Yun ang tanong natin sa Sandiganbayan—ito ba ganun din mangyayari dito? (That’s our question to the Sandiganbayan—will the same thing happen here?)” he said.

“Peaceful protest actions are the best safeguards for accountability against abuse in government, kaya sinusuportahan natin (that's why we support it). Huwag tayong manood lang (Let's not just sit back and watch),” Pangilinan said. He added that he was aware of planned mobilizations on Nov. 30.

“Let’s continue to be active...Daing ng taumbayan: ikulong ang mga kurakot. Dapat tuloy-tuloy ‘yun (The public's call is to jail the corrupt personalities. That should be continuous),” he said.

Pangilinan also recounted a previous conversation with a Supreme Court (SC) justice, where he relayed public frustration over the lack of convictions in major corruption cases.

“Sinabi ko sa kanila ng diretso ang sinasabi ng taumbayan, wala naman kayong nakukulong, walang pinaparusahang malalaki, puro maliliit lang (I told them directly what the people are saying—you’re not jailing anyone, no big personalities are being punished, only the small one),” he said.

He noted that the Sandiganbayan’s conviction rate stood at only 47 percent, which lagged far behind other countries like Japan, with 90 percent; and Hong Kong, with its anti-corruption convictions of 80-plus percent.

When asked if he still saw hope for accountability, Pangilinan said the answer lies in continued, peaceful public action.

“’Yan, pag nakikita nilang libo-libo ang lumalabas sa kalye, nakikita nilang sa social media e talagang ang panawagan ay pananagutan, pag nakita nila yun, mas makakaasa tayong may mangyayari (When they see thousands taking to the streets and the call for accountability spreading on social media, when they see that, we can be more hopeful that something will happen),” he added.