Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Soon, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile will breathe the air of freedom. At least temporarily.
Once he steps out of the Philippine National Police General Hospital, he can go back to his usual routine following the terms and conditions of the Supreme Court (SC).
Soon, he may again attend to his duties as a senator, and Enrile could not wait to do so, his lawyer said on Wednesday (August 19).
The senator’s priority: the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).
Atty. Eleazar Reyes, lawyer of Enrile, said the 91-year old senator wants to participate in deliberations on issues he considers most relevant, such as the BBL.
“He’s really raring to go, that’s what he expressed,” he said.
Reyes arrived at the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan to wait for a copy of the Supreme Court (SC) order allowing his client to post bail. The lawyer said that Enrile’s camp is confident that the order would be released on Wednesday so that the senator could post bail the same day.
Related: Why Enrile was granted bail for a non-bailable offense
The offices at the Sandiganbayan are closed on Wednesday due to a local holiday in Quezon City, but some court employees went to work in case Enrile posts bail. The anti-graft court’s Third Division, however, has yet to receive a copy of the SC decision allowing the senator to post bail.
Once the Sandiganbayan receives the order, it would issue an order to the Philippine National Police (PNP) to release the detained senator. Enrile has been detained at the PNP General Hospital for nearly a year now for allegedly funneling his pork barrel funds to bogus non-government organizations.
Related: Supreme Court grants Enrile’s petition to post bail; Jinggoy to wait longer
He is facing plunder and graft cases.
Reyes said the high court granted Enrile’s bail petition because of the fact that the senator is not a flight risk considering his old age and frail health. He added that the weight of the evidence of guilt has yet to be determined at this point.
“Because he’s 91 yrs old, and his health is frail in the sense that the doctors said he is at high risk,” he said. “When you talk of evidence, you cannot say that before trial eh, before the formal reception of evidence.”
The lawyer said the senator is also eager to prepare for his trial.
Atty. Joseph Sagandoy, another lawyer of the senator, said Enrile would have to pay about P1.4 million in bail — P1 million for his plunder case and another P450,000 for his graft cases.
CNN Philippines’ AC Nicholls contributed to this report.
