By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA, Philippines — An interfaith coalition staged a prayer rally outside the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City on Wednesday, urging the anti-graft court to reverse its decision granting former Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. bail in a case involving alleged misuse of public funds.
Members of the Kingdom Keepers, an ecumenical coalition of Catholic, Evangelical and mainline Protestant believers, gathered outside the court and called on the justices who voted to grant Revilla bail to reconsider their decision.
The demonstration followed a Catholic Mass at San Jose Tagapagtanggol Parish, where Fr. Robert Reyes, one of the group’s convenors, urged the Sandiganbayan’s Third Division to correct what he described as a mistake in granting Revilla P1 million bail.
“Put Bong Revilla back where he belongs,” Reyes said in his homily.
Revilla is facing a malversation of public funds case over the alleged illegal disbursement of P76.9 million linked to a purported ghost flood-control project in Pandi, Bulacan, with a reported project cost of P92.8 million.
Prosecutors allege that Revilla conspired in the scheme in exchange for a 25-percent share.
After the Mass, the group proceeded to the Sandiganbayan and held a peaceful demonstration, carrying placards criticizing the justices who voted in favor of Revilla’s temporary liberty.
Associate Justice Ronald Moreno and Associate Justice Fritz Bryn Anthony de los Santos voted to grant bail, while Third Division chairperson Associate Justice Karl Miranda dissented.
The Kingdom Keepers questioned why Revilla was granted bail while the same relief was denied to his “lower-ranking DPWH accomplices who merely served as instrumentalities under pressure of systemic corruption.”
The group praised Miranda for what it called a “courageous dissent” and expressed support for the Office of the Ombudsman’s efforts to challenge the bail resolution.
The Ombudsman has filed a motion for reconsideration seeking to overturn the grant of bail. It has also asked Moreno to voluntarily inhibit himself from the case over allegations of bias.
The prayer rally added a public dimension to the legal battle surrounding Revilla’s bail, as prosecutors continue to challenge the Sandiganbayan resolution while supporters of the former senator await the court’s next action.
ia/xf
