Ibinasura ng Sandiganbayan Third Division ang mosyon ni dating Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile na ibasura ang kasong plunder na kinakaharap nito kaugnay ng pork barrel fund scam.
“In sum, the Court finds that the Information sufficiently alleges the ultimate facts constituting the crime of plunder. Thus, accused Enrile’s motion to dismiss/quash deserves denial,” saad ng desisyon.
Noong Setyembre 21, naghain si Enrile ng Motion to Dismiss/Quash the Information dahil hindi union sapat ang mga ebidensya ng prosekusyon.
“..there is no allegation or evidence of any act committed by the accused Enrile that may link him as a conspirator in committing plunder,” saad ng mosyon ni Enrile.
Hindi rin umano tinukoy ng prosekusyon kung ano ang ginawang hakbang ni Enrile kaya nasangkot siya sa kaso at sinabi lang na binigyan niya ng kapangyarihan ang iba na pumirma para sa kanya at sumulat sa mga ahensya ng gobyerno.
“… the particulars required by the SC must refer to how the kickbacks was received, when it was received and how much was received,” saad ng kampo ni Enrile.
Punto naman ng prosekusyon, hindi pa nila naipakikita ang lahat ng hawak nilang ebidensya at magagawa lamang nila ito sa pagpapatuloy ng pagdinig ng kaso.
“Thus, it argues that accused Enrile cannot claim that there is no evidence of his participation in the so-called PDAF scam at this stage of the proceedings when the prosecution has not yet presented all of its evidence,” sagot ng prosekusyon. “…. the purported absence of evidence against accused Enrile can only be established through an adversarial proceeding during trial proper after the evidence are formally offered and appreciated by the Court.”
Sa desisyon, ipinunto ng Sandiganbayan ang sinabi ng Sandiganbayan na hindi kailangang kumita ng tig-P50 milyon ang bawat akusado subalit maaari na ang kabuuan nilang kinita ay P5 milyon.
“Moreover, the Supreme Court has already declared that since the Information in this case sufficiently alleges conspiracy, then it is unnecessary to specify as an essential element of the offense, whether the ill-gotten wealth amounting to at least P172,834,500 had been acquired by one, by two or by all of the accused. In the crime of plunder, the amount of ill-gotten wealth acquired by each accused in a conspiracy is immaterial for as long as the total amount amassed, acquired or accumulated is at least P50 million,” saad ng desisyon.