Juan Ponce Enrile out after posting P1.45-M bail, paying P59,400 in hospital bills

MANILA, Philippines - Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile left yesterday his place of detention at the Philippine National Police General Hospital after posting a P1.450-million bail with the Sandiganbayan and paying P59,400 for a 153-day stay in hospital.

He had to post an additional P450,000 in bail because he is also facing 15 counts of graft arising from his alleged receipt of kickbacks or commissions from Janet Lim-Napoles.

A staff of Enrile paid in full yesterday the hospital bills, according to PNP Health Service spokesman Chief Insp. Raymund Santos.

“It’s actually wrong to say that he owes the PNP General Hospital,” he said. “If he decided to give a certain amount then it is up to him.”

Enrile insisted that he would pay his hospital bills, although he is not required to do so since he is a government employee, he added.

Enrile’s initial expenses at the PNP General Hospital reached a total of P76,000 for 150 days, PNP-Health Service finance officer Senior Police Officer 4 Jovito Tapayan said on Wednesday.

He did not explain the basis of Enrile’s 150-day hospital confinement.

The amount was reduced to P61,000 after the deduction of the 91-year-old Enrile’s privileges as a senior citizen, Tapayan told reporters.

It could still be reduced with Enrile’s PhilHealth benefits, he added.

Enrile has been in and out of the hospital since surrendering to police authorities in Camp Crame more than a year ago.

At around 5:54 p.m., an eight-vehicle convoy emerged from the PNP General Hospital compound after the SC granted Enrile’s petition to post bail.

Reporters waiting for an interview or statement did not catch Enrile as all eight vehicles were heavily tinted and all windows were closed.

The convoy with a police patrol car at the lead and followed by an ambulance proceeded to the Sandiganbayan to complete the bail process.

Enrile was taken to the Sandiganbayan past 6 p.m. pursuant to a produce order issued by the Third Division chaired by Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang.

Before Enrile arrived at the anti-graft court, Eleazar Reyes, one of his lawyers, paid the P1.450-million bail in cash to speed up the process of his release.

Enrile proceeded to the Third Division to submit photographs, fill up a personal data sheet and have his fingerprints taken as required by procedure.

In a statement, Enrile said the Supreme Court decision granting him bail was a result of his faith in the judiciary.

“My faith in the probity and justness in the judiciary has been vindicated,” he said.

He will return to the Senate to work as soon as possible, Enrile said.

“And I will go back to work and serve no interest except the interest of the country,” he said.

He will probably visit Sens. Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr. at the PNP custodial center in Camp Crame soon, he added.

Enrile will be going home to his family at his house in Dasmariñas Village in Makati, Reyes said.

Sandigan should have granted bail – SC

The Sandiganbayan committed grave abuse of discretion in denying the bail motion of Enrile, the Supreme Court (SC) ruled in granting him temporary liberty.

“Accordingly, we conclude that the Sandiganbayan arbitrarily ignored the objective of bail – to ensure the appearance of the accused during the trial and unwarrantedly disregarded the clear showing of the fragile health and advanced age of Enrile,” read the decision.

While the plunder case against Enrile is supposed to be non-bailable, bail could still be granted upon discretion of the court, the SC said.

“Bail for the provisional liberty of the accused, regardless of the crime charged, should be allowed independently of the merits of the

charge, provided his continued incarceration is clearly shown to be injurious to his health or to endanger his life,” read the decision.

The purpose of bail to guarantee the appearance of the accused in the trial would be defeated if Enrile would not be allowed to seek medical attention by competent physicians in the hospitals of his choice, the SC said.

“Indeed, denying him bail despite imperiling his health and life would not serve the true objective of preventive incarceration during the trial,” read the decision.

The government has a responsibility and a commitment under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the SC said.

“This national commitment to uphold the fundamental human rights as well as value the worth and dignity of every person has authorized the grant of bail not only to those charged in criminal proceedings but also to extradites upon a clear and convincing showing that the detainee will not be a flight risk or a danger to the community and that there exist special, humanitarian and compelling circumstances,” read the decision.

The court refused to rule on Enrile’s argument on “two mitigating circumstances in his favor: that he was already 70 years at the time of the alleged commission of the offense and that he voluntarily surrendered.”

It deferred to the Sandiganbayan ruling on this issue.

Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin wrote the 17-page decision.

Concurring were Associate Justices Presbitero Velasco Jr., Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Arturo Brion, Diosdado Peralta, Mariano del Castillo, Jose Perez and Jose Mendoza.

The ruling ordered the immediate release of Enrile from custody upon posting of bail bond of P1 million, unless he is being detained for some

other lawful cause.

It was promulgated last Tuesday, but was only officially released yesterday.

A copy of the ruling was formally served to the Sandiganbayan in the afternoon.

‘SC set dangerous precedent’

Associate Justice Marvic Leonen believes the SC decision granting bail to Enrile has set a dangerous precedent.

It has perilously set an unstated if not ambiguous standard for the special grant of bail on the ground of medical conditions, he said in a 29-page dissenting opinion. – With Edu Punay, Edith Regalado, Raymund Catindig