Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 23) — Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., who was previously incarcerated for plunder but was acquitted of the charges in 2018, is now batting for death penalty for committing the same offense — as well as for falsely accusing others of committing that crime.
“I personally support the President’s call to reinstate capital punishment for offenses related to drugs and plunder. Dagdagan ko lang na dapat may parusa rin na kamatayan [I should add that there should also be death penalty] for those who falsely and maliciously accuse others of these offenses,” Revilla said in a statement Tuesday.
Revilla echoed the statements in President Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address Monday. The President claimed the Philippines has not yet “learned its lesson” on the proliferation of narcotics use.
The formerly detained senator, however, still faces 16 counts of graft and corruption.
He is out on bail after the Sandiganbayan’s first division ruled that the prosecution could not establish his guilt for receiving rebates, commissions and kickbacks from his Priority Development Assistance Funds beyond reasonable doubt in December. His co-accused in the pork barrel scam, Janet Lim Napoles and Revilla’s staff Richard Cambe, were found guilty.
Revilla was formerly accused of amassing ₱224.5 million in kickbacks from Napoles when he was still in office.
Ombudsman prosecutors have filed a motion stating that Revilla still needs to return ₱124.5 million to the National Treasury. His camp asserted Revilla is not criminally liable, and should not be sought to pay back the amount.
