Former Sen. Bong Revilla Appears Before the Sandiganbayan for the Flood Control Rap
BONG REVILLA – The former Senator refused to submit a plea on the flood control case against him, thus, the Sandiganbayan entered “not guilty”.
Former Sen. Revilla is the first high-profile ranking personality to be arrested over the flood control issue in the Philippines. He voluntarily surrendered to the authorities after the Sandiganbayan issued an arrest warrant against him over his alleged involvement in the supposed multi-million ‘ghost’ flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.
Revilla claimed that he is innocent from the accusations hurled against him. Aside from the former Senator, the anti-graft court also released warrants of arrest against the following former officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways:
- former DPWH Bulacan First District Engineering Office (DEO) assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez
- former DPWH Bulacan First DEO Engr. Jaypee Mendoza
- former DPWH Bulacan First DEO Engr. Arjay Domasig
- former DPWH Bulacan First DEO Engr. Emelita Juat
- former DPWH Bulacan First DEO finance section chief Juanito Mendoza, at
- DPWH Bulacan First District Engineering Office cashier Christina Pineda
Former Sen. Bong Revilla is currently detained at the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas after the Sandiganbayan junked his plea to be transferred to Camp Crame. The former Senator sought to be detained in the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Facility.
The authorities previously assured that there will be no special treatment for the former Senator. It was also previously reported that he was not allowed to bring his own clothes and some gadgets inside the jail.
Recently, former Sen. Bong Revilla appeared before the Sandiganbayan for the arraignment and the pre-trial of the flood control charges filed against him. Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, the former lawmaker refused to enter a plea for graft in connection to the supposed P92.8 million ghost Bulacan flood control project.
According to the former Senator’s legal counsel, Franchesca Señga, Revilla refused to enter a plea to uphold the reasons they asserted in their motion to quash the information. The Sandiganbayan previously denied the said motion.
“Kinukwestyon [namin] yung legality or validity of the information. So we’re just maintaining that position,” the former Senator’s Lawyer said.
With the refusal of former Sen. Bong Revilla to submit a plea on the flood control case against him, the Sandiganbayan entered a not guilty plea for the former Senator. Based on the report, all accused in the flood control mess except for the former Senator and DPWH Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office official Juanito Mendoza, have entered a not guilty plea on the charges filed against them.
Previously, the wife of the former Senator, Cavite 2nd District Representative Lani Mercado, was emotional during her speech at a prayer rally over former Sen. Bong Revilla’s decision to surrender to the authorities and his situation now.