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Friday, March 29, 2024

Revilla cleared of 16 graft raps–Sandigan

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The Sandiganbayan's First Division has dropped 16 counts of graft filed against Sen. Bong Revilla in connection with his alleged participation in the pork barrel scam, citing insufficiency of evidence.

Revilla was previously acquitted of plunder in 2018 after the prosecution failed to prove he pocketed Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) monies amounting to P224.5 million.

In granting Revilla's demurrer to evidence, the anti-graft court however denied that of Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged brains behind the pork barrel scam.

The senator, in a statement, said "justice prevailed" after 8 years of trial.

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"After eight long years, nangibabaw nang tuluyan ang Iyong hustisya…

The Sandiganbayan, by granting our Demurrer to Evidence and dismissing all the charges against me, validates what we have known from the very beginning — that all the accusations against me have no basis and any leg to stand on," said Revilla.

The former actor, who won another Senate term in 2019, insisted: "I never have been involved in graft and corruption."

"This is the reason why I did not run; I did not hide; and did not evade the judicial system… The truth has come out. Now, I can move forward to serving our nation and our people even further, free of this nuisance," he said.

Revilla, along with former Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada, were accused of receiving kickbacks from Napoles in exchange for funneling part of their discretionary funds to bogus non-government organizations. 

“The bonds posted by accused Revilla are hereby ordered released, subject to the usual accounting and auditing procedures. The Hold Departure Order issued against them are also set aside and declared functus officio,” the court said.

With this development, Revilla has no more pending cases before the anti-graft court.

Associate Justice Geraldine Faith Econg penned the 196-page Sandiganbayan ruling. Associate Justices Rafael Lagos and Edgardo Caldona concurred.

Meanwhile, Associate Justices Efren Dela Cruz and Bayani Jacinto dissented in the grant of Revilla’s demurrer.

A demurrer to evidence is a petition asking the court to decide the case solely on the basis of the evidence presented by the prosecution, while challenging such evidence to prove that it is not enough to merit conviction.

The court also dismissed the case against Revilla’s aide, Richard Cambe, by reason of his death.

Cambe died from a stroke while jailed in the New Bilibid Prison last April.

In deciding against Napoles' arguments in her pleading, the Sandiganbayan said these “are simply a rehash of the arguments she raised in her Motion to Suppress Evidence and the Motion for Reconsideration, which were both previously resolved by this Court.”

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