MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce-Enrile聽said he is not only prepared to get聽arrested but is also ready die聽inside his cell.
Enrile issued the statements on聽Monday聽when聽asked聽about the聽impending聽issuance of a warrant of arrest against him and other personalities charged with plunder at the Sandiganbayan.
Asked in an interview on Monday if聽 he would聽resist聽the arrest, the senator said: 鈥淲hy should I resist? I am a lawyer; I know the process, why should I resist? I have no reason to resist.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檝e been prepared since several days ago. I鈥檝e already packed up my things to bring it to Camp Crame if that鈥檚 where we are going to be confined,鈥澛爃e said.
Told about Senators Jose 鈥淛inggoy鈥澛燛strada and Ramon 鈥淏ong鈥� Revilla Jr.鈥檚 appeal to spare him from arrest,聽 Enrile said: 鈥淚 thank them for that but I鈥檓 prepared.聽Even if I鈥檒l die in my cell, it鈥檚 okay. At my age, I got through life already.鈥�
Estrada and Revilla were also co-accused in the plunder and anti-graft 聽聽charges filed in court聽over the 鈥減ork鈥� scam.
Enrile聽said he would聽not mind聽 either if the arrest would be done聽 inside or outside the Senate.
鈥淚 was served the warrant here in the senate in 1990. It was here in the Senate that I was arrested. The second time I was arrested in 2001 was at my house鈥︹�� he pointed out.
But聽Enrile said聽 he and his lawyers would exhaust all available remedies first so he could defend himself.
The聽 filing of cases聽 in court, he said,聽 would give him and his former chief of staff, Atty. Jessica 鈥淕igi鈥� Reyes,鈥� a chance to prove their innocence.
鈥溾�nd we鈥檒l have a chance to show that聽Mrs Reyes, my staff did not receive any money for me or for her and so it鈥檚 good that we are given the opportunity to use the proper forum to discharge all of these speculation, all of these charges, all of these things that are being thrown at us,鈥� Enrile added.
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