MANILA, Philippines - Senate Minority floor leader Juan Ponce Enrile, one of the lawmakers tagged in the pork barrel scam, was hospitalized ahead of the filing of plunder charges against him on Monday.
In a televised press briefing, Senator Jinggoy Estrada said a stone in Enrile's gallbladder prompted his blood pressure to rise.
"I think he was rushed to the hospital a few days ago," said Estrada.
A radio report said that according to Senator Vicente Sotto III, Enrile was hospitalized last Saturday and that the veteran senator remains confined.
On Monday, the Department of Justice filed plunder charges against Enrile, Estrada, and Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the P10-billion pork barrel scam.
The three senators have been accused of getting kickbacks after coursing their pork barrel to ghost projects and bogus non-government organizations (NGOs) supposedly set up by Janet Lim-Napoles.
Estrada said he was able to talk to the former Senate president, who he claimed was in "high spirits."
"He just informed me that he will fight this case in the courts," said Estrada.
For his part, Estrada said he is "very, very confident" that he will be acquitted.
"Kaya kong depensahan ang sarili ko dito," he said. "I am not leaving the country. Haharapin ko lahat ito."
