THE Sandiganbayan will begin on Feb. 9 its trial on the plunder case filed against detained former Senator Ramon ‘‘Bong’’ Revilla Jr., after the court asked the prosecution to make corrections in the pre-trial brief to be signed before trial begins.
A total 119 witnesses will be presented during the trial, lead prosecutor Joefferson Toribio said when asked by Revilla’s new counsel, Estelito Mendoza, the former solicitor general and secretary of justice during the Marcos administration.
Of the total witnesses, the 77 were alleged beneficiaries of Revilla’s ghost pork barrel projects, Toribio said.
With the number of witnesses to be presented against Revilla, Mendoza said however [the case] will probably take forever.
Revilla, in police custody since 2014, said he was “excited” that the plunder will soon begin.
“I am excited; hoping this will be expedited, but I think this will take long,” Revilla told reporters after the hearing Thursday.
Revilla and his co-accused, former chief of staff Richard Cambe, was able to show up during the supposed first day of their trial after the anti-graft court’s Special First Division issued the produce order for the police to bring the two to court.