MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has deferred the arraignment and pre-trial of former Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. in connection with the alleged P92.8-million flood control project in Bulacan and reset the proceedings to Feb. 16.
The anti-graft court’s Third Division rescheduled the arraignment of Revilla and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)–Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office accountant Juanito Mendoza during a session on Monday while awaiting resolution of their motions for reconsideration.
Court records show that Revilla filed a motion for reconsideration on Feb. 6 and an urgent motion for inhibition on Feb. 8. The defense cited Third Division Chair Associate Justice Karl Miranda’s relationship with Atty. Buenaventura Miranda, who served as legal counsel to former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo during a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the flood control project.
Revilla spokesperson Atty. Francesca Señga said the defense raised concerns about impartiality, noting that court rules require both actual impartiality and the appearance of impartiality.
Justice Miranda told the court that he had disclosed his relationship with Atty. Miranda to ensure transparency in the proceedings. He said there were no grounds for mandatory inhibition but added that the motion would be reviewed carefully to determine whether he should recuse himself, emphasizing the need to preserve public confidence in the administration of justice.
Miranda also said he would not allow personal considerations to influence his duties and noted that the cases against Revilla and the other accused were assigned to the division through the court’s raffle process.
Five co-accused — DPWH engineers Brice Hernandez, Jaypee Mendoza, Arjay Domasig, Emelita Juat, and cashier Christina Mae del Rosario Pineda — pleaded not guilty to the malversation charge during their arraignment on Monday.
For the graft charge, Revilla, Domasig, Juanito Mendoza, and Juat are scheduled for arraignment and pre-trial before the Sandiganbayan’s Fourth Division. Hernandez, Jaypee Mendoza, and Pineda earlier pleaded not guilty to the same charge on Jan. 28.
Revilla previously stood trial before the Sandiganbayan in a plunder case linked to the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam. Authorities arrested him on June 20, 2014, and he remained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame until the court acquitted him and ordered his release on Dec. 7, 2018.
