Ultimately, the four accused in the Php 10-billion Pork Barrel Scam - business woman Janet Lim Napoles and the three senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, and Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr., will ALL be denied bail by the Sandiganbayan.
Janet Lim - Napoles
Being denied bail, Janet Lim-Napoles' fate is also sealed. While her lawyers continue to battle the Sandiganbayan on her behalf, Napoles will be found guilty in the later part of 2015, and will spend the rest of her life serving out her sentence.
Before the court's verdict is delivered, Napoles will continously be going in-out of the hospital, which is a well known tactic used by those accussed in high profile cases to buy them more time, acting out injuries or illnesses under full media coverage.
The two eldest children of Jenny, namely Jo Christine and James Christopher, who are accused of involvement in the misuse of the Php900 million worth Malampaya fund meant to help victims of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, will finally be arrested some time mid next year, and will face trial before the Sandiganbayan for their alleged involvement in said misuse.
Even Jeane Napoles, youngest of the Napoles children who has gained notoriety for alleged lavish lifestyle funded by her mother, will not be spared. Various charges, including tax evasion, will be filed against her within the next two years.
Senator Juan Ponce Enrile
Even if eventually not being granted bail, because of his advanced age, former Senate President Enrile can be seen as not really having any criminal liability (persons 75 years of age and older considered as not liable to any criminal liability).
This period of time can be regarded as a semi-retirement for him, although now he can already still perform his work as a senator as the 90-day preventive suspension against him has been lifted.
Nonetheless, he will spend what is left of his life under hospital arrest, fighting in the courts of the Sandiganbayan to prove his innocence.
Senator Jinggoy Estrada
After eventually being denied bail, Senator Estrada will still be very much active in the senate now that the 90-day suspension order upon him has been lifted. He will still fight it out with his team of lawyers before the Sandiganbayan. He will seek re-election as senator but will lose.
During the years of his detainment in the special bungalow made for him in Camp Crame, he will often be going out to hospitals for treatment of various ailments, but will be more or less physically capable to perform his duties as a senator during this time.
Some time midway through the term of the next president, some technicality of the law will be discovered by political allies and used on his behalf. As as a result, Jinggoy Estrada will be a free man here onwards to pursue his political goals.
Reading Date; December 5, 2014
Photo: Various Sources
Related Post: Sen. Bong Revilla @ PDAF Scam