The Sandiganbayan has turned down the bid of ex-Palawan governor Mario Joel Reyes and several others to drop the 159 charges filed against them for their role in the P1.5-billion Malampaya fund scam in 2008.

In a 15-page resolution handed down on 3 January, the anti-graft court dismissed the motions of Reyes and his other co-accused of the outright dismissal of the criminal charges on the grounds that it lacked merit.

"Guided by the foregoing rule and jurisprudence, followed by a meticulous review of the records and the entirety of the evidence presented by the prosecution, the Court finds no cogent reasons to grant leave to file demurrer to evidence," it said.

Moreover, it added: "At this point of the trial, there being sufficient evidence to sustain the indictment for the crimes charged, the accused movants now bear the evidentiary burden to controvert the evidence of the prosecution."

Reyes and 41 others were charged by the Ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan of 159 criminal raps in 2017.

This includes 75 counts of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, 77 counts of falsification of public documents, and seven counts of violations of Section 2 of Presidential Decree 1759, penalizing contractors who breach provisions of a public works contract as well as public officials involved.