Enrile acquitted of 15 graft raps over pork barrel misuse

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile has been acquitted by the Sandiganbayan Special Third Division on 15 counts of graft related to the alleged misuse of his P172-million pork barrel.

The anti-graft court cited the prosecution's failure to prove the guilt of Enrile, his former chief-of-staff Jessica "Gigi" Reyes, Janet Napoles, and others beyond reasonable doubt.

The decision also did not impose any civil liability or fine on Enrile, Reyes, and Enrile's former deputy chief of staff Jose Antonio Evangelista II, who were all acquitted of graft charges.

As a result of the ruling, all hold departure orders issued by the Sandiganbayan were lifted.

Enrile, who is 101 years old, attended the promulgation online from his hospital bed, while Napoles also attended virtually.

This acquittal follows his earlier clearance of plunder charges last year, and unlike Senators Jinggoy Estrada and former Senator Bong Revilla, Enrile was not detained due to a Supreme Court ruling on humanitarian bail.