Metro Manila, Philippines – The anti-graft court on Monday, Feb. 9, entered a “not guilty” plea for former Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. in the graft case in connection with the flood control scam, while the arraignment for the malversation charge was deferred again to resolve pending motions.
Facing the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division on Monday afternoon, Revilla refused to enter a plea in the graft charge in relation to the alleged non-existent P92.8-million flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.
Francesca Señga, one of Revilla’s lawyers, said the move was based on the position that the former lawmaker questioned the validity of the information against him, even if the fourth division denied a motion to dismiss the criminal charges over questionable validity.
Co-accused Arjay Domasig and Juanito Mendoza, both former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineers, entered “not guilty” pleas. Four other co-accused already pleaded the same in previous hearings.
Second reset in arraignment in malversation case
Earlier in the day, the Sandiganbayan Third Division deferred and rescheduled the arraignment of Revilla and Mendoza for the non-bailable malversation case for Feb. 16.
This was the second deferment of arraignment for the two.
Revilla and Mendoza filed on Feb. 6 an appeal of an earlier resolution denying various petitions, including the motions to quash information and arrest warrants, as well as their jail transfer.
Lawyers of the former senator also filed an urgent motion for inhibition against Associate Justice Karl Miranda, the third division chairperson, on Sunday, Feb. 8. The court directed prosecutors to file a comment within Monday.
Miranda told Revilla’s defense team that the motion will be “studied with utmost care and resolved at the soonest time possible.”
Meanwhile, the five co-accused – ex-DPWH engineers Brice Hernandez, Jaypee Mendoza, Domasig, and Emelita Juat, and former cashier Cristina Pineda – entered a “not guilty” plea.
No grounds for inhibition
While the anti-graft court’s third division has yet to resolve the motion for inhibition, Miranda said at Monday’s hearing that there were no grounds for his mandatory inhibition.
Revilla’s lawyers filed the motion as Miranda’s brother, Buenaventura Miranda, was the lawyer of former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo during the Senate blue ribbon committee hearings.
It was at the Senate investigation that Bernardo tagged Revilla to alleged flood control project kickbacks.
“Nakalagay sa rules hindi ka lang dapat impartial…Ipakita mo or may impresyon ka rin na wala kang kinikilingan,” Señga told the media after the arraignment.
[Translation: Under the rules, you should not only be impartial. You should also show or have an impression that you are not biased.]
“I have constantly adhered to the code of conduct and ethical standards governing judges and lawyers,” Miranda said during the court hearing, adding he had disclosed from the beginning his ties with Bernardo’s lawyer, who is not a party in the case.
State prosecutors, pending their formal comment, have expressed opposition to the motion for inhibition, which they said delayed proceedings.
“Sinusundan namin ang tamang proseso at ginagamit ang lahat ng maaaring magamit na proseso na naaayon sa kanyang karapatan bilang akusado,” Señga said.
[Translation: We follow the proper process and we use all available processes according to the rights of the accused.]
