Manila: There was a festive atmosphere in the detention cells of Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla who were allowed to hold Christmas parties with immediate family members.
Cars brought in food and gifts for the parties that were held from one to five in the afternoon, at the custodial detention centre of Camp Crame where the two senators are imprisoned for alleged plunder, a source told Gulf News.
“Relatives brought in non-alcoholic drinks. Authorities also prevented the extension of the parties and the merrymaking,” said the same source who requested for anonymity.
Filipinos always celebrate “Noche Buena,” a festive repast on Christmas Eve. And jail guards are often lenient when authorities such as senators ask for special favours during the Holiday Season.
Earlier, the Philippine National Police (PNP) allowed the families of Estrada and Revilla to hold Christmas parties with their respective close relatives, “but not with friends,” as long as they observe the detention facility’s visiting hours.
Last July, the police was criticised for having allowed Sen, Estrada and his wife Precy to hold a party for their 25th wedding anniversary that lasted in the morning.
Meanwhile, the police granted the request of former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile to watch with immediate family members a film entitled “King of Tondo” at the PNP General Hospital, where he is held under hospital arrest.
His family members were not allowed to overstay beyond the visiting hours of the police detention centre, the source said, adding, “There was food and merriment at the PNP hospital.”
The three opposition senators were detained for having allegedly allowed the release of their development funds to bogus projects for poor people and farmers affected by typhoons and other calamities, through non-functioning nongovernment agencies that were supposed to implement the projects.
They allegedly pocketed more than half of misused development funds.
The senators denied the charges, claiming they were singled out because of politics.
They alleged that allies of President Benigno Aquino at the Senate and the House of Representatives were also involved in the scandal, known as pork barrel fund scam, the revelation of which has shocked Filipinos.
