MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it is waiting for the anti-graft court to take “further apppropriate action” on the “continued detention” of 3 opposition senators at Camp Crame over their alleged involvement in the multi-million-peso pork barrel scam.

This was after an internal investigation by the Headquarters Support Service (HSS) found “irregular” the recent visit made by senators Ramon Revilla Jr and Jinggoy Estrada to the PNP General Hospital, supposedly to get emergency treatment but later turned out to be a visit to another detained senator, Juan Ponce Enrile 

“The PNP submits to the wisdom and best judgment of the Sandiganbayan to determine further appropriate action as the anti-graft court deems necessary, on the continued detention of Senators Enrile, Revilla, and Ejercito under PNP custody,” the PNP said in a statement on Tuesday, March 3.

The police force added it would be giving anti-graft court Sandiganbayan “all the necessary documents, information, and facts surrounding the activities of the detained senators while under PNP custody.”

Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo Jr, PNP spokesman, told Rappler: “I understand the Sandigan Prosecutors have issues with regards to the Revilla incident…. Sandiganbayan may decide to investigate the incident or the very least make the PNP explain or other approp action. On this, we will respect and support such a move.”

The HSS investigation showed that senators Revilla and Estrada were taken to the PNP General Hospital to undergo “urgent medical check-up.” 

Instead of going to the emergency ward, however, they went “straight to the Special Ward,” located some 85 meters inside the hospital compound. 

Both Revilla and Estrada are detained at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame for their alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam. A third senator, Enrile, is under hospital arrest at the PNP General Hospital over the same corruption scandal. 

Both the Custodial Center and the General Hospital are located at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame. 

A week ago, officials from the HSS, including its head Chief Superintendent Alberto Supapa, were relieved over the unauthorized visit of Revilla to Enrile during the latter’s birthday on February 14. 

Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, who is also chairman of the National Police Commission, said during a press conference last week that police had “violated the rules on detainees” when they allowed Revilla to visit Enrile. 

Roxas added Revilla followed the same “modus operandi” as Estrada. 

“The same thing also happened with Senator Jinggoy Estrada. Same MO (modus operandi) kumbaga. Masakit ang ulo, pupunta [raw] sa emergency room pero hindi naman pupunta sa emergency room, pumunta sa salo-salo,” Roxas said then.

(It’s the same modus operandi, so to speak. He had a headache, he had to go to the emergency room, but he didn’t, and went to the gathering.)

The 3 senators, all members of the opposition, have been detained at Camp Crame since mid 2014. – Rappler.com