SolGen to study SC decision on JPE CoS

The Office of the Solicitor General on Friday disclosed that it is already studying the effects of the recent Supreme Court ruling which granted provisional liberty to Atty. Jessica Lucila “Gigi” G. Reyes, the former chief of staff of then Senator Juan Ponce Enrile.

The OSG stressed that they will check if the SC’s decision will have an effect on the illegal drugs cases of detained former senator Leila M. De Lima and other cases pending trial in courts.

“The OSG will carefully study the ramifications of the court’s resolution,” said the agency in a statement.

To recall, the SC on 17 January ordered the release of Reyes with a ruling that her provisional release is warranted as her continued detention “though in accordance with a court order of the Sandiganbayan, violates her right to speedy trial and infringes on her right to liberty.”

She was charged with plunder together with Enrile in the alleged P172.8 million kickbacks from businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles in the disbursement of the former senator’s Priority Development

Assistance Fund.

The former lawmaker and now Presidential Legal Adviser of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was allowed to post bail.

However, the SC clarified the release of Reyes should not be construed as the determination of the merit of the actual case as it imposed several condition.

Reyes was released on 19 January by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology based on the resolution.

The Writ of Habeas Corpus “is a writ directed to a person detaining another, commanding the former to produce the body of the latter at a designated time and place.” It extends “to all cases of illegal and arbitrary detention by which any person is deprived of his liberty.”

Guevarra admitted that the SC ruling on Reyes may apply to De Lima.

“The Supreme Court has made it clear that its ruling on the petition of habeas corpus is not tantamount to acquittal of the accused (Reyes) nor a dismissal of any of her pending cases,” said Guevarra.

“It will only result in the temporary liberty of the accused, as if bail was granted without any amount fixed by the court,” he added.