MANILA — Lawyer Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes, the former chief of staff of former senator and now Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile, will testify in her defense in the plunder case against them before the Sandiganbayan.

Gigi Reyes, former chief of staff of ex-Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, leaves the Sandiganbayan courtroom after her hearing today for the plunder case was postponed. She is set to testify on Nov 14.

SB 3rd Div earlier denied her motion to move for dismissal of the case. pic.twitter.com/v0D6W3Fh4X

— Mike Navallo (@mikenavallo) November 7, 2023

Reyes’ lawyer, Christian Diaz, told the Sandiganbayan Third Division Tuesday that his client will testify as the second defense witness in a hearing set on November 14 at 2 p.m.

Her defense team was supposed to present her first witness, Eireen Palanca, head of the Senate Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office (LBRMO) but Palanca was not available as she was supposedly helping Senator Sonny Angara prepare for the budget sponsorship speech as Senate Finance Committee chairperson, based on a letter sent to the anti-graft court.

Instead, Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Ronald Moreno granted Reyes’ motion to cancel Tuesday’s hearing.

Reyes will present her first witness, Atty. Yolanda Dublon, former head of the LBRMO, on November 9, Thursday.

While Dublon will go through direct examination due to lack of time to submit a judicial affidavit, Reyes’ team is still studying whether she will also undergo direct examination or will just submit a judicial affidavit by Friday, November 10, which can be affirmed by the time she testifies in court.

Reyes will face prosecutors for cross-examination.

Reyes and Enrile, together with “pork barrel queen” Janet Lim Napoles, are accused of amassing P172.83 million worth of kickbacks from Enrile’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) funneled through ghost NGOs created by Napoles.

The Sandiganbayan Third Division earlier denied Reyes’ bid to move for the dismissal of the plunder case through a demurrer to evidence — essentially a motion to dismiss on the ground of insufficient prosecution evidence.

In contrast, Reyes’ former boss, Enrile, was allowed to file his demurrer but the anti-graft court ruled it will only be resolved after all his co-accused have finished presenting their evidence.

• Sandiganbayan allows Enrile to move to dismiss PDAF plunder case; denies Gigi Reyes' motion

Enrile has urged the Sandiganbayan Third Division to reconsider the ruling and immediately resolve his demurrer citing old age and his right to speedy trial.

• Enrile invokes age, speedy trial in urging Sandiganbayan to immediately dismiss plunder case