The arraignment of former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. on his graft charge was cancelled Friday afternoon, January 23, and rescheduled by the Sandiganbayan’s Fourth Division to February 9.
During arraignment, an accused must enter a plea of guilty or not guilty. If the accused refuses to enter any plea, the court automatically records a plea of not guilty.
Revilla’s arraignment on a separate charge of malversation of public funds was likewise reset by the Sandiganbayan’s Third Division to February 9.
The former senator, along with six co-accused, faces graft and malversation charges in connection with the ₱92.8 million flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.
In the graft case, only Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office Engineer Emelita Juat was arraigned as scheduled, and she pleaded “not guilty” to the crime charged.
Aside from Revilla and Juat, also charged with graft before the anti-graft court were DPWH 1st District Engineering Office Assistant District Engineer Brice Hernandez, Engineer Jaypee Mendoza, Engineer R.J. Domasig, and Accountant Juanito Mendoza, and Cashier Christina Mae Pineda.
Revilla and his co-accused are now detained at the New Quezon City Jail in Barangay Payatas, Quezon City.
They were charged before the Sandiganbayan for allegedly conspiring to facilitate the release of approximately P76 million for the supposed construction of the P72.8 million flood control project in Purok 5, Barangay Bonzuran, Pandi, Bulacan, a project which, based on official inspection and witness accounts, was “never implemented. (Czarina Ong Ki)
