Anti-graft court judges divided on Revilla verdict

Sandiganbayan justices are divided in the plunder case of former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr, sources said yesterday.According to unimpeachable sources, members of the Sandiganbayan’s 1st Division were split in their verdict and could not agree on a conviction or acquittal.The anti-graft court is set to hand down its verdict this week.The sources said Justices Efren de la Cruz, Geraldine Faith Econg and Edgardo Caldona were divided in their ruling.This prompted the Sandiganbayan to create a Special 1st Division with two additional members — Justices Marisa Teresa Gomez-Estoesta and Sara Jane Fernandez.However, Fernandez inhibited herself from the case because her sister, Dagupan City Mayor Belen Fernandez, is reportedly supporting the Lakas-NUCD candidates. Revilla will again run for senator under the party in next year’s elections.It was learned that the justices clashed in their ruling on Revilla, who was charged with plunder and graft four years ago in connection with the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam.The sources said the Sandiganbayan justices have agreed on their verdict on Revilla’s co-accused, including “pork barrel queen” Janet Lim Napoles and Revilla’s former chief of staff, Richard Cambe.In November, the Supreme Court granted the anti-graft court’s request to be given more time to study the voluminous documents submitted by the defence and the prosecution. The high court gave the Sandiganbayan an additional 30 days to deliberate, allowing it to promulgate its decision on December 7, 2018.The original date of promulgation was November 9, 2018.In 2014, the Office of the Ombudsman filed criminal charges against Revilla, Napoles, Cambe, Napoles employees Ronald John Lim and John Raymund de Asis, and Budget Undersecretary Mario Relampagos in connection with the alleged misuse of the former senator’s PDAF or “pork barrel.”Revilla was accused of pocketing P224mn in kickbacks from his pork barrel which was chanelled to fund ghost projects of non-governmental organisations owned by Napoles.The Supreme Court earlier affirmed the preliminary attachment issued by the Sandiganbayan on the assets of Revilla, saying there was “a prima facie factual foundation for the attachment of his monies and properties.”It used as basis the testimonies that Cambe received from Revilla the amount of P103mn in return for the former lawmaker’s endorsement of Napoles’ projects.Revilla is one of three former senators charged with plunder in connection with the pork barrel scam. The two others were Juan Ponce Enrile and Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada.In August 2015, the Supreme Court allowed Enrile, then 91 years old, to post bail on account of his frail health.In September last year, Estrada temporarily regained his freedom after the Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division allowed him to post P1.3mn bail.Enrile and Estrada will also run for senator in the midterm elections next year.