MANILA, Philippines — Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan will testify against Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. before the Sandiganbayan Third Division on Aug. 12 in a case involving an alleged kickback from a supposed ghost project in Pandi, Bulacan.
Ombudsman Deputy Special Prosecutor Omar Sagadal asked the court Tuesday to issue a subpoena ad testificandum requiring Bonoan to testify. Associate Justice Ronald Moreno granted the prosecution’s request.
The development came after former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, who is serving as a state witness, testified in Revilla’s trial for alleged malversation of public funds.
Prosecutors accuse Revilla of seeking a 25% kickback from a P92.8-million project in Pandi. Revilla has repeatedly denied the allegation.
Revilla was temporarily released from detention Friday after posting P1 million bail.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Sagadal asked Bernardo about the source of the alleged 25% kickback. Bernardo reiterated that the money came from advance payments made by private contractors.
Sagadal then asked how the contractors would recover the advance payments.
Bernardo said the contractors would recover the money from the government after completing their DPWH projects.
The issue formed part of the Sandiganbayan’s recent ruling granting Revilla bail. In a 107-page resolution penned by Associate Justice Fritz Bryn Anthony Delos Santos, two of the three members of the division found that the alleged kickbacks came from contributions made by private contractors.
The court said the alleged kickbacks therefore were not public funds, noting that malversation under Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code applies to the misappropriation of public funds or government property.
Bernardo previously testified that Revilla obtained P1.5 billion in project allocations after allegedly requesting them from Bonoan.
He also alleged that Revilla received P500 million in kickbacks from the allocations.
Revilla has denied the accusations.
