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IPINAGTANGGOL ng Malacañang ang endoso ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte kay dating Senador Jinggoy Estrada sa 2019 polls kahit akusado sa kasong pandarambong.
Ayon kay Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo, nananatiling inosente pa rin ang dating Senador sa kasong plunder dahil hindi pa naman siya hinahatulan ng Sandiganbayan, batay sa Konstitusyon.
“We have to respect the Constitution. We have to bow to the majesty of what the Constitution says. The presumption of innocence prevails regardless of who you are, whether you are an ally or a friend,” aniya.
Paulit-ulit na sinasabi ni Pangulong Duterte na kailanman ay hindi niya kokonsintihin maski bahid pa lang korupsiyon.
Ang kasong plunder ang pinakamataas na katiwalian sa pamahalaan at may parusang habambuhay na pagkabilanggo.
Ipinahiwatig ni Panelo na ‘mahina’ ang ebidensya laban kay Estrada dahil pinayagan siyang makapaglagak ng piyansa ng Sandiganbayan.
“Number one, Senator Estrada or former Senator Estrada is charged with corruption. And the Constitution says, unless you are convicted by final judgment, you are presumed to be innocent. So the presumption is Estrada is innocent,” ani Panelo.
“Number two, he’s been granted bail. And the reason for the court’s grant of provisional liberty is anchored on the fact that the evidence of guilt is not strong. So you cannot begrudge the President for endorsing a man who is presumed to be innocent under the law; otherwise you are prejudging him,” dagdag niya.
Giit ni Panelo, may pruweba na walang epekto sa popularidad ni Pangulong Duterte ang mga ginagawa niyang hindi popular na desisyon.
“He has done so many unpopular decisions, and yet his ratings remain very popular. This man couldn’t care less. For as long as he repeatedly says, I am mandated by the Constitution to serve and to protect, any action that I make will be on that basis alone,” sabi ni Panelo.
(ROSE NOVENARIO)
