Bernardo aide unknowingly delivered boxes of cash to Revilla, other execs
Daily TribuneBureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) personnel heavily guarded former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., along with 15 co-accused, as they arrived at the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City last 9 February, to attend a hearing on their malversation and graft cases over an alleged anomalous flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.
Analy Labor
The supposed aide and driver of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo claimed that he had no knowledge that he was delivering boxes of cash to high-ranking officials.
In his testimony this Thursday, Engr. Vergel Niño Garcia said that he was only made aware of the contents of the said boxes after news had already broken out regarding the multibillion peso flood control scandal.
The sworn statement was part of the ongoing bail hearing of former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla regarding a P92.8-million ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.
Garcia explained that he was merely following the orders of Bernardo who was his supervisor for the span of 20 years and a godparent in the wedding of one of his siblings.
Asked by the justices presiding the hearing why he had never thought of asking what was contained in the boxes he distributed, the engineer mentioned that the former DPWH exec would become agitated whenever his instructions were not followed.
He also expressed that he would not have carried out the deliveries had he known that large sums of money were within the boxes.
One of the mentioned deliveries in his submitted affidavit was a delivery made to the residence of Revilla at the White House Compound last February 2025 for an amount of ₱250 million.
Aside from the former senator, he claimed to have shipped funds to Senator Jinggoy Estrada, former Department of Education (DepEd) Usec. Trygve Olaivar, DPWH Usec. Cathy Cabral, and the aide of Makati Mayor Nancy Binay, Carleen Villa.
However, as both the defense and judges pointed out, Garcia had no proof of such deliveries besides his own and supervisors statements.
Bernardo Testimony
On the matter of Bernardo, the former DPWH exec turned state witness was also scheduled to testify before the anti-graft court.
However, he was subsequently taken off of the list of witnesses as it was found that he was severely ill and unable to attend the proceeding.
Based on the statement of Sandiganbayan’s resident doctor, Bernardo was very cooperative and was willing to be examined.
As such, the court ordered for the witness to take the stand in its following hearing on 24 April as he may otherwise be cited in contempt if found that he merely faked his illness.
The prosecution, on the other hand, decried that the decision was unfair for both the witness and their counsel.
Associate Justice Karl Miranda was quick to point out that the court was just holding onto its integrity and reputation in the ongoing hearing, particularly since Bernardo had long been slated to relay his testimony.