Remulla suspects someone helped secure Revilla’s bail

MANILA, Philippines — Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Saturday raised the possibility that efforts had been made to obtain bail for former Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. in his malversation case, saying his office had expected the Sandiganbayan’s decision.

On Friday, the Sandiganbayan Third Division granted Revilla’s bail petition, leading to his temporary release after he posted a P1-million bond.

Last Jan. 16, the Office of the Ombudsman filed malversation and graft charges over Revilla and several officials of Department of Public Works and Highways over an alleged anomalous infrastructure project in Pandi, Bulacan worth P98 million. 

“We predicted this to happen. Alam na namin ito… Mayroon talagang mangyayari na ‘mukhang tinatrabaho’ na magkaroon ng grant of bail (We predicted this to happen. We already know this… Someone may have ‘worked’ to secure the grant of bail),” Remulla said in his radio program in DZRH.

“Pero that’s only a battle. We have to win the war as a country. Itong giyerang ito, bansa ito na nakikipaglaban para sa kanyang survival so we need the country to help us (Pero that’s only a battle. We have to win the war as a country. This country is fighting this war for its survival so we need the country to help us),” he added.

However, Remulla did not provide further information on his remark.

Remulla also said that the decision is “part of a battle” the country is fighting against corruption. He also said that the “war” is not yet lost, but it serves as an “eye opener that we had to fight harder… for us to win the war against corruption.”

While Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano on Friday said that the Office of the Ombudsman respects Sandiganbayan’s orders, he said that they will “exhaust all remedies to highlight the basis for which we can say that the evidence of guilt is indeed strong against former Senator Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla.”

Meanwhile, Remulla said that he wants to talk with Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, noting that solving corruption in the country requires a whole-of-government approach where the anti-graft body works for evidence-based cases, while the judiciary takes half of the work.

“The Ombudsman raised a standard of reasonable certainty of conviction before we file a case. We raised the standards. This is not weaponized. Our work is not weaponized, it’s evidence-based. It’s not just us, the other half of it is the judiciary,” he stressed.

The INQUIRER has sought comment from Revilla’s legal counsel, Atty. Rean Balisi, regarding Remulla’s remark and is awaiting a response.

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