Revilla defense slams 'hearsay' as bail hearings conclude

The Sandiganbayan has concluded hearings on a bail petition filed by former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., with defense attorneys arguing the prosecution failed to meet the constitutional standard of "strong evidence of guilt" required to deny bail.

The prosecution presented at least 20 witnesses over several months to link Revilla to the alleged misuse of P92.8 million in public funds intended for the Pandi flood control project in Bulacan.

Court records show that all but one of these witnesses acknowledged under oath that they had no personal knowledge of Revilla’s direct participation in the procurement or implementation of the project.

Among those who testified were project engineers Alcantara and Peter Paul Cortez. Their testimonies were limited to technical and administrative aspects.

Cortez testified he was informed that the late Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Catalina Cabral allegedly issued instructions to associate Revilla with the project. However, Cortez clarified this was not based on his personal knowledge.

Defense counsel argued that the statement regarding Cabral, who is deceased, constitutes hearsay and lacks the opportunity for cross-examination. They noted that Cortez never witnessed any meeting or directive involving Revilla.

Similarly, Alcantara, a district engineer, did not attribute any instructions or communication to the former senator, testifying only on his role in project documentation.

The prosecution’s case rests largely on the testimony of former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, the sole witness to directly implicate Revilla.

Bernardo was discharged as an accused to serve as a state witness in exchange for immunity and placement in the government’s witness protection program.

He alleged that Revilla was involved in the misuse of the P92.8 million and claimed that in 2024 and 2025, he and his staff personally delivered a total of P500 million to Revilla.

However, under court scrutiny, Bernardo appeared uncertain, mixing up dates and specific details.

Defense counsel Attorney Reody Balisi described the accusations as "preposterous" and "self-serving."

“It’s easy for Bernardo to allege... but when asked of the details, his answers contradicted themselves,” Balisi said, adding that the case relies on uncorroborated testimony.

Bernardo did not present independent documentary evidence to substantiate the alleged deliveries. To bolster the claim, the prosecution called Bernardo’s driver and staff aide.

While they claimed to have delivered "sealed boxes" to Revilla, both admitted they did not see the contents and had no knowledge of any direct dealings between the senator and the public works projects.

The defense dismissed these accounts as “derivative testimonies” that merely repeated Bernardo’s narrative without independent verification.

"The prosecution's only witness against Sen. Bong Revilla self-destructed," Balisi said.

The Sandiganbayan is expected to rule on the bail petition after evaluating whether the evidence meets the legal threshold for detention without bail.