MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang on Monday welcomed reports that Jessica Lucilla “Gigi†Reyes, the former chief of staff of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, will surrender once the court issues an arrest warrant against her.
“Any action by the respondents that will make the process expedited in terms of their voluntary surrender will certainly be welcomed,†Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda told Palace reporters Monday.
“At least, it alleviates our security sector the burden of trying to look for her and bringing her to the court,†he added.
Lacierda said he could not speculate on how crucial would be the information to be revealed by Reyes.
“It’s something that depends on the defense tactic that she would choose to employ. So we will leave it with her and her lawyers to decide how to defend herself,†the Palace official said.
Previous reports said Reyes is set to turn herself over to authorities once the Sandiganbayan issues a warrant of arrest.
Sources from Reyes’ camp were quoted as saying that Enrile’s former aide has been weighing her options since she returned from abroad last April.
Reyes has been dragged in the multi-billion peso pork barrel scam and is said to be the only person who can directly link Enrile to the alleged fund misuse.
She was accused of accepting commissions from agents of Janet Lim Napoles, the businesswoman who allegedly controlled bogus non-government organizations that received pork funds.
The Office of the Ombudsman has filed plunder raps before the Sandiganbayan against Reyes and other personalities tagged in the pork barrel scam.
Other respondents in the case include Enrile, Napoles and senators Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla Jr.,
The Sandiganbayan has issued a hold departure order against Reyes, and other accused charged in the scam.
Revilla and Estrada surrendered to authorities after the anti-graft court had issued arrest warrants against them. – with reports from Anna Bajo