THE Sandiganbayan has dismissed the 16 counts of graft charges against Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. over the alleged misuse of his priority development assistance fund (PDAF) from 2007 to 2009 for lack of evidence.
“The bonds posted by accused Revilla are hereby ordered released, subject to the usual accounting and auditing procedures,” Sandiganbayan First Division Associate Justice Geraldine Faith Econg said in her 196-page order.
The court also lifted the hold departure against Revilla.
In the same order, Econg denied the demurrer to evidence filed by Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged brains behind the PDAF or pork barrel scam.
This means the trial against her for graft charges will continue.
In 2018, the Sandiganbayan First Division also dismissed plunder charges against Revilla, who was accused of funneling his PDAF to Napoles’ dubious non-government organizations. He was alleged to have earned over P220 million in kickbacks.
The dismissal of this case freed him from detention for over four years.
Revilla’s aide and co-accused, Richard Cambe, was convicted of plunder. He died in April.
The court, however, ordered Revilla to return to the national treasury P124.5 million. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo / SunStar Philippines)