By Fernan Angeles
NOT even humanitarian grounds amid the pandemic compelled the Sandiganbayan to consider issuance of provisional release to Jessica “Gigi” Reyes who is facing a P172-million plunder case in connection with the P10-billion pork barrel scam.
In a 50-page ruling dated September 29, the anti-graft court ruled that Reyes failed to present evidence that she is in danger of acquiring COVID-19 while in detention.
Reyes is a former chief of staff to former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, her co-accused in the plunder case.
“It is worthy to mention that compared to other detention facilities where there has been transmission of COVID-19 among its detainees and staff, there is no report that there are inmates, or even personnel, of Camp Bagong Diwa who have tested positive for COVID-19,” the court said.
“There is no positive showing that accused Reyes is in actual or even imminent danger of being infected by the COVID-19,” it added.
The Sandiganbayan said that there is no way she could be infected with the deadly virus citing one of its visits to Camp Bagong Diwa, where court members actually saw Reyes separated from other detainees “hence, negating the probability that she would be infected by the virus from other inmates therein.”
Likewise, the anti-graft court noted that Reyes cannot ask the Sandiganbayan for temporary release since she has questioned its decision denying her petition for bail before the Supreme Court.
“She challenged the said denial before the Supreme Court via a petition for certiorari which is pending before the High Tribunal. Thus, the question of whether accused Reyes may be released provisionally is a matter that should be addressed before the Supreme Court,” it said.
“Unquestionably, the issue presented in the subject motion and that raised in the pending petition before the Supreme Court are inextricably interwoven. Wherefore, the Motion for Provisional Release of Accused Jessica Lucila G. Reyes Based on Humanitarian Grounds Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic dated May 27,2020, is denied for lack of merit and on the ground of forum -shopping,” it added.