Site discrepancies, lack of links mark first week of Revilla bail hearings
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After a week of continuous bail hearings before the Sandiganbayan Third Division, no witness has presented testimony linking former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. to an alleged "ghost" flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.
Since proceedings began 6 April, the Office of the Special Prosecutor has called nine witnesses to support its opposition to Revilla’s bail application. However, none have established a direct connection between the former lawmaker and the irregularities surrounding the project.
The prosecution’s witnesses included Atty. Ivan Samson, an investigator from the National Bureau of Investigation who led the probe, and engineers Aldous Santos and Kenneth Fernando from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office.
The hearings highlighted significant technical inconsistencies. The court issued a subpoena to DPWH officials after Fernando’s testimony pointed to a project site different from those identified by Samson and Santos during their inspections.
Furthermore, Fernando testified that the site inspected by the NBI appeared to show a completed project, casting doubt on the prosecution's allegation that the infrastructure was a "ghost" project.
On 8 April, state witness Sally Santos of SYMS Construction testified that she delivered money to former DPWH engineer Brice Hernandez. However, during cross-examination, she admitted she does not know Revilla and has never had any dealings with him.
To speed up the trial, both the prosecution and defense agreed to stipulate the testimonies of several other witnesses from the DPWH, Land Bank of the Philippines, and the Department of Budget and Management.
While these witnesses identified and authenticated official records, they acknowledged having no personal knowledge of the flood control project itself.
Revilla’s legal team argued that the prosecution's documentary evidence is equally thin, noting that the former senator’s name and signature do not appear on any of the submitted records.
The prosecution is expected to call former Bulacan District Engineer Henry Alcantara when hearings resume Friday. State prosecutors have until 24 April to complete their presentation of evidence, after which the court will rule on the bail petition.
Revilla’s camp remains confident that bail will be granted, citing a lack of strong evidence to justify his continued detention during the trial.
