Court junks Bong Revilla bid to seek dismissal of malversation case

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The Sandiganbayan denied the bid of former senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr. to ask the court to dismiss malversation charges against him in connection with the P92.8-million flood control project in Bulacan, the location of which has no physical structure.

This was confirmed by Atty. Dennis Pulma, Clerk of Court of the Sandiganbayan Third Division, which denied Revilla's leave of court to file demurrer to evidence.

A demurrer to evidence is a pleading asking the court to dismiss the case due to the prosecution's weak evidence.

Revilla already attached his demurrer to evidence in his leave of court pleading.

Pulma, however, said this was merely noted by the anti-graft court, meaning this was entered into the records.

Revilla is out on bail by virtue of the July 31 Sandiganbayan Third Division decision, which granted his petition for bail via a split 2-1 vote.

The ruling cited that the prosecution failed to present an "iota of proof" showing that Revilla had either explicitly or implicitly agreed to receive an advance kickback.

The bail decision is one of the grounds cited by Revilla in seeking leave of court to file demurrer to evidence.

Aside from Revilla, other listed respondents in the malversation case include the following former officials of the DPWH Bulacan First District Engineering Office including:

• Brice Hernandez
• Jaypee Mendoza
• Arjay Domasig
• Emelita Juat
• Juanito Mendoza
• Christina Pineda

All these former DPWH officials also filed petition for bail, but these were all denied by the Sandiganbayan Third Division. — VDV, GMA News