The Office of the Ombudsman has rested its case involving 16 counts of graft against Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. in connection with the alleged P224.5 worth of pork barrel or Priority Development Assistance Fund.
In a statement, the Ombudsman affirmed that it will not appeal Revilla’s acquittal of the 16 counts of graft charges by the Sandiganbayan.
“This after the Sandiganbayan (SB) acquitted him for insufficiency of evidence on the remaining 16 graft cases in relation to the pork barrel scam. The SB First Division voted 3-2 to grant Senator Revilla’s Demurrer to Evidence, and we respect its decision,” it said.
“Consistent with the defendant’s constitutional right against double jeopardy, Ombudsman Samuel Martires sets the policy of no longer challenging the dismissal of cases/quashal of information and judgments of acquittal, either through a motion to dismiss, a demurrer to evidence or by a decision, rendered by the trial courts or the Sandiganbayan except when the People was clearly deprived of due process or there was mistrial,” it added.
On April 1, 2014, the Ombudsman found probable cause to indict Revilla, and then senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jose Pimentel “Jinggoy” Estrada, along with their chiefs of staff and businesswoman Janet Napoles with plunder and graft.
Revilla was accused of gaining P242 million through ghost projects funded by his own PDAF.
On June 6, 2014, the Ombudsman filed a formal complaint of plunder and 16 counts of graft with the Sandiganbayan against Revilla.
On Dec. 7, 2018, the anti-graft court’s First Division, in a majority vote, acquitted Revilla, after four years of detention, of plunder through kickbacks of P224.5 million worth of pork barrel.
Last July 5, in a 196-page decision, the Sandiganbayan acquitted Revilla of his remaining graft cases for insufficiency of evidence and granted his demurrer to evidence that led to the dismissal of the cases.