20 witnesses took the stand in Sandiganbayan trial but only one claimed direct talks with Bong Revilla

MANILA - Prosecutors came armed with 20 witnesses, stacks of public records, bank documents, payment papers, site inspection findings and accounts of sealed boxes allegedly packed with millions of pesos.

But when the Sandiganbayan Third Division examined the evidence against Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., a major gap came into focus.

Almost every prosecution witness was at least one step removed from Revilla.

Only former Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo claimed that he directly spoke and met with Revilla about project allocations, funding lists and alleged commitments.

No other witness independently confirmed those alleged conversations or directly connected Revilla to the later falsification of documents and release of public

funds.

Bernardo alleged that Revilla asked him to prepare a list of projects for funding. He also claimed that Revilla later followed up on the list and asked about alleged

commitments.

In his narration, he said Revilla instructed him to send boxes to the White House compound in Bacoor, Cavite, after ₱250 million was ready.

But the rest of the prosecution witnesses could not personally confirm what Revilla allegedly said, knew, received or agreed to do.

Two delivery aides described bringing sealed boxes to the White House compound.

Neither testified that Revilla personally received the boxes, opened them, identified their contents or discussed the Pandi flood control project with them.

One aide admitted that he did not know what the boxes contained when he delivered them.

The official who explained how the project entered the national budget also said Revilla never personally sent a request to his office. He traced the instruction to

another DPWH official.

The money trail for the specific Pandi project payment also stopped short of Revilla.

Testimony showed that about ₱74.601 million was delivered to Brice Ericson Hernandez after a contractor royalty was deducted. The witnesses did not say they delivered those funds to Revilla or received instructions from him.

The court still found serious signs of a project anomaly.

Official documents said the flood control project was 95.17 percent complete. But an inspection found no visible concrete slope structures and only limited physical

work at the site.

The majority, however, treated proof of the project irregularity and proof of Revilla’s personal role as separate questions.

That gap proved crucial.

The Sandiganbayan granted Revilla provisional liberty after he posted a ₱1 million cash bond. It denied bail to six other accused.

The court made clear that the ruling was not an acquittal and did not decide Revilla’s guilt or innocence.

Prosecutors may still present more evidence during the full trial.

-Paraluman News