SC seeks Sandiganbayan comment on Gigi Reyes' TRO bid

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court (SC) en banc has asked the Sandiganbayan Third Division to comment on the petition for a temporary restraining order filed by Gigi Reyes, former chief of staff of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile and one of the principal accused in the plunder and graft cases filed before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the pork barrel fund scam.

The SC ordered the anti-graft court's Third Division to submit its comment in 10 days.

Reyes filed the petition for TRO "and/or writ of preliminary injunction" after the high court dismissed her earlier similar petition, but on the basis of procedural defects.

She argued that the Sandiganbayan Third Division's finding of probable cause to put her on trial for plunder and graft charges should be nullified because she was denied due process during the preliminary investigation at the level of the Office of the Ombudsman.

She asked the high court to order the Sandiganbayan to bring back her case to the Ombudsman level.

Reyes is currently detained at the female dormitory of Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig.

Meanwhile, the SC ordered the consolidation of petitions filed by the other accused in the pork barrel scam case, particularly the motions filed by senators Bong Revilla, Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada, who are also facing plunder and graft charges.

Revilla and Estrada are detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center while Enrile is under hospital arrest at the PNP General Hospital in Camp Crame.