Revilla camp: Cash claims not credible

A lawyer for former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla on Thursday questioned the credibility of testimony linking his client to alleged cash deliveries, saying the claims were not believable.

“Our reaction? Is it believable? For us, it is not,” said lawyer Reody Anthony Balisi in Filipino when asked about the prosecution’s witnesses.

During the bail hearing before the Sandiganbayan Third Division, two supposed former aides of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo testified that they delivered boxes of cash to Revilla’s residence at the White House Compound in Quezon City.

Engr. Vergel Niño Garcia and Engr. Francisco dela Fuente submitted sworn statements that corroborated earlier testimony by Bernardo.

Balisi argued that the affidavits relied solely on the witnesses’ recollection and were not supported by documentary evidence such as photographs.

Before their presentation, the defense sought to exclude the witnesses, saying their claims referred only to projects in the National Capital Region.

Revilla and his co-accused are facing charges over an alleged P92.8-million ghost project in Pandi, Bulacan, where a site inspection reportedly found no structure.

Balisi maintained there is no evidence linking his client to the project, identified as Contract ID 25CC0299.

“The evidence is not strong… There is no evidence linking him to this project,” he said.