Senate to wait for Bong to file appeal vs suspension

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate leadership will give jailed Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. 15 days to appeal his suspension by the Sandiganbayan before it acts on the order.

Just like the suspension orders against senators Juan Ponce Enrile, and Jinggoy Estrada, Senate President Franklin Drilon said Revilla will be given a chance to file their motion for reconsideration before the 1st Division of the anti-graft court.

"When the order becomes executory, amin pong susundin ang utos ng Sandiganbayan kagaya po ng kay Senator Enrile and Senator Estrada. Binibigyan ng pagkakataon si Senator Revila ng Sandiganbayan na mag-file ng motion for reconsideration within 15 days.

"Once the court has resolved and disposed with the motion for reconsideration, or if no MR will be filed after 15 days, then we will implement the suspension order," Drilon said in an interview with reporters.

Drilon said Estrada has filed appeal while Enrile has written the Senate, signifying his intention to appeal the suspension order.

"The order of the Sandiganbayan said they are preventively suspended unless they file a MR. So, yung Sandiganbayan mismo ang nagsabi sa amin na huwag n’yo muna i-implement kung magpa-file ng MR," he said.

Revilla, Estrada, and Enrile, are now detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame for plunder and graft cases stemming from the  alleged P10- billion pork barrel scam.