(CNN Philippines) — Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. will remain detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame, the First Division of the Sandiganbayan having denied on Thursday the petition of the prosecution to have the lawmaker transferred to a regular jail.
The prosecution in the plunder and graft case against Revilla had made the appeal on the basis of Revilla’s aunthorized visit to Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, who is detained, on similar charges, at the PNP General Hospital.
The court said that did not find the incident reason enough to justify Revilla’s transfer another detention facility.
The court added that it had already admonished police officials and personnel who allowed the visit.
Pictures obtained by CNN Philippines show Revilla with Enrile on the latter’s birthday celebration at the hospital in February.
Also on Thursday, the court canceled the pretrial of Revilla’s case as his lawyers, as well as those in the prosecution, had not finished pre-marking their evidence.
Prosecution lawyers blamed Revilla’s defense team for slowing the process.
They said the senator’s lawyers kept objecting to items presented as evidence even before they could be marked.
Meanwhile, Revilla said that he was still considering running in the 2016 elections, which he said he could still do as he had not been convicted of the charges against him.
Asked for comment, Justice Undersecretary Jose Justiniano said Revilla has the right to go seek reelection.
CNN Philippines’ AC Nicholls contributed to this report.
