Sandiganbayan finds probable cause vs Revilla

By: Marc Jayson Cayabyab - 10 years ago

MANILA, Philippines—The Sandiganbayan first division found probable cause on the charges of plunder and graft against Senator Ramon Revilla Jr.
After finding probable cause, the arrest warrant may be issued against Revilla.

“After personally perusing the information and evaluating the joint resolution of the Office of the Ombudsman, the evidence in support thereof and the records of the preliminary investigation attached thereto, it appears that sufficient grounds exist for the finding of probable cause for the purpose of issuing a warrant of arrest against the accused charged in the instant cases,” the resolution read.

“Wherefore, let warrants of arrest be issued against the accused in the cases set forth across their respective names,” the resolution read.

Revilla’s camp had filed a motion for the court to determine probable cause and to defer the arrest warrant.

But the division effectively junked the motions, along with their motion to dismiss the case, due to the finding of probable cause.

In the resolution, the division also said it junked the accused’s motions to suspend proceedings and defer issuance of warrant of arrest on the basis of lack of probable cause.

The resolution said “the rules do not require cases to be set for hearing to determine probable cause for the issuance of a warrant of arrest… before any warrant may be issued.”

“Petitioner cannot, as a matter of right, insist on a hearing for judicial determination of probable cause,” the resolution read.

The division found probable cause just hours after it junked Revilla’s motion to suspend proceedings.

Revilla’s co-accused in the plunder case are alleged mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles, Revilla’s former political adviser Richard Cambe, Napoles’ employee John Raymund De Asis, and Napoles’ nephew Ronald John Lim.

Revilla’s co-accused in graft barred from leaving the country are: Napoles; Cambe; De Asis; Budget Undersecretary Mario Relampagos; Antonio Ortiz and Dennis Cunanan, who are former directors general of the Technology Resource Center (TRC); Allan Javellana, former president of National Agribusiness Corp. (Nabcor); Gondelina Amata, president of the National Livelihood Development Corp. (NLDC).

Others accused were TRC employees Marivic Jover, Francisco Figura, and Ma. Rosalinda Lacsamana; NLDC employees Emmanuel Sevidal, Sofia Cruz, Chita Jalandoni, Evelyn Sucgang, Gregoria Buenaventura

Nabcor employees Rhodora Mendoza, Victor Cacal, Maria Ninez Guanizo, Maria Julie Villarolvo-Johnson; Evelyn De Leon, president of Napoles NGO Philippine Social Development Foundation; Rosario Nunez; Lalaine Paule; Marilou Bare; Myla Ogerio; Eulogio Rodriguez; Laarni Uy; Consuelo Espiritu; Encarnita Munsod; Ofelia Ordonez; and Jocelyn Piorato.

The first division is chaired by Associate Justices Efren Dela Cruz, with Associate Justices Napoleon Inoturan and Rafael Lagos as members.

The Ombudsman, in indicting Revilla, said the movie actor-turned-senator collected P224.512 million kickbacks from 2006 to 2010 from the alleged illegal disbursement of his Priority Development Assistance Fund.

Revilla faces one count of plunder and 16 counts of graft.

Also charged were Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada, as well as alleged mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.

The pork barrel scam is an elaborate scheme of allegedly diverting billions of public funds, meant to easy poverty in the lawmakers’ constituencies, to ghost projects for kickbacks.