A not guilty plea was entered by the Sandiganbayan Third Division on Monday for former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. in the malversation case involving the alleged P92.8-million ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.
The court entered the plea after Revilla refused to enter any plea during his arraignment.
Meanwhile, his co-accused, former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan First District Engineering Office finance section chief Juanito Mendoza, pleaded not guilty.
Earlier, five other co-accused in the malversation case also pleaded not guilty. They are former DPWH Bulacan Assistant District Engineer Brice Hernandez; former DPWH Bulacan engineer Jaypee Mendoza; former DPWH Bulacan engineer Arjay Domasig; former DPWH Bulacan engineer Emelita Juat; and DPWH Bulacan First District Engineering Office cashier Christina Pineda.
Last week, the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division also entered a not guilty plea for Revilla in the graft case he is facing in connection with the same Bulacan flood control project.
The Office of the Ombudsman earlier filed malversation and graft charges against Revilla and six officials of the DPWH Bulacan First District Engineering Office over the alleged P92.8-million ghost project in Pandi.
The information alleged that the respondents conspired to facilitate the release of approximately P76 million for the supposed construction of a flood control project in Puroc V, Barangay Bonsuran, Pandi, Bulacan — a project which, based on official inspection and witness accounts, was never implemented.
The Ombudsman said that despite the absence of any actual construction, the respondents declared the project completed. It added that they allegedly falsified accomplishment reports, issued fraudulent billing documents and endorsed disbursement vouchers.