Lawyer Jessica “Gigi” Reyes is set to testify before the Sandiganbayan on the P172- million plunder case filed against her, her former boss ex-Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, and multiple others cited as respondents in the alleged misuse of Enrile’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).
The Sandiganbayan on Tuesday granted Reyes’ motion that she be allowed to take the witness stand. She was scheduled to give her side of the story on November 14.
However, Reyes’ legal counsel, Christian Diaz, clarified that their camp had yet to decide if Reyes’ direct testimony would be in the form of a judicial affidavit or if she would deliver her direct testimony on the witness stand.
Being a witness, the prosecution would have the right to cross-examine Reyes.
Reyes’ motion also sought to cancel today’s hearing due to the unavailability of the intended first witness for Reyes – the Senate’s Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office (LBRMO) head Eireen Palanca.
Instead of Palanca, former LBRMO chief and lawyer Yolando Dublon would testify in Reyes’ defense on Thursday, November 9.
State prosecutor Jennifer Agustin-Se did not object to Reyes’ motion, provided that the hearing on the case would proceed on November 9 as scheduled.
“There being no objection on the part of the prosecution, the hearing scheduled today is cancelled and let a subpoena ad testificandum be issued to Yolando Dublon, directing her to testify on November 9 at 2 o’clock in the afternoon,” Sandiganbayan Third Division Associate Justice Ronald Moreno ordered.
“The next witness for the defense will be the accused herself, who is scheduled to testify on November 14 also at 2 o’clock in the afternoon,” Moreno added.
