By el Amigo
MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has granted the petition for bail of former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. in connection with the alleged P92.8-million ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.
The anti-graft court’s Third Division ruled that the prosecution failed to demonstrate that the evidence of Revilla’s guilt was strong with respect to the charge of malversation through falsification of public documents.
In a statement issued Friday, the Sandiganbayan ordered Revilla’s provisional release upon posting a P1-million cash bond, provided he is not being detained for any other legal reason.
However, the court denied the bail applications of Revilla’s six co-accused, citing strong evidence against them. They include engineers Brice Hernandez, Jaypee Mendoza, Arjay Domasig, and Emelita Juat, along with DPWH Bulacan First District Engineering Office officials Juanito Mendoza and Christina Pineda.
The Office of the Ombudsman accused Revilla and the former DPWH officials of declaring the flood control project completed despite the absence of actual construction. Prosecutors alleged that accomplishment reports and billing documents were falsified and disbursement vouchers were processed to facilitate the release of the project’s full cost.
A judicial inspection of the project site reportedly found no existing flood control structure.
Revilla had earlier posted a separate P90,000 bail in relation to the graft charge filed before another division of the Sandiganbayan.
The former senator remains detained at the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas pending compliance with the conditions of his provisional release.
elamigo/xf
