Gigi Reyes to take witness stand in PDAF scam plunder case

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 7) — Lawyer Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes, former chief of staff of ex-Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, will testify in her defense in the plunder case against them in relation to the alleged misuse of pork barrel.

During a hearing on Tuesday, her lawyer manifested in court that Reyes herself will be the last witness in her defense.

The Sandiganbayan Third Division will hear her testimony on Nov. 14.

Reyes may choose to submit a judicial affidavit as her direct testimony but will still have to take the stand in court for cross examination.

The court earlier denied Reyes’s plea to file a demurrer to evidence, which seeks the immediate dismissal of her case after the prosecution rests its case.

She allegedly conspired with Enrile, currrently chief presidential legal counsel, to pocket over P170 million worth of kickbacks in exchange for diverting his Priority Develpment Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel to bogus non-government organizations controlled by businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles.

Reyes was released from the Taguig City Jail in January after nine years in detention.

In November 2013, the Supreme Court declared the PDAF unconstitutional, thereby abolishing it.