MANILA — Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said the Sandiganbayan’s decision granting bail to former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. in the alleged P92.8-million ghost flood control project case should serve as a wake-up call for the government’s anti-corruption campaign, saying his office had anticipated the ruling and must now intensify its efforts to secure convictions.
Speaking over his radio program, Remulla admitted that prosecutors were aware the court could allow Revilla provisional liberty while the criminal case remains pending.
“We predicted this to happen. Alam naman namin ito… Meron talaga mangyayari na mukhang natrabaho, na magkaroon ng grant of bail,” Remulla said. “It’s an eye-opener that we have to fight harder for us to win the war against corruption.”
The Ombudsman emphasized that every case filed by his office undergoes a thorough evaluation before being brought to court, maintaining that prosecutors proceed only when there is reasonable certainty of obtaining a conviction.
Revilla and six other respondents are facing charges of malversation through falsification of public documents and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act over the alleged ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.
Investigators earlier reported that the supposed P92.8-million flood control project was allegedly nonexistent, with the identified site found to be an undeveloped lot without any flood control structure.
Revilla surrendered to authorities after the Sandiganbayan issued a warrant for his arrest. On Friday, however, the anti-graft court granted his petition for bail after ruling that the prosecution failed to establish that the evidence of guilt was strong for purposes of denying bail. He was later released after posting a P1-million cash bond.
Remulla also revealed that he plans to seek a dialogue with Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo to discuss concerns over the handling of corruption cases and judicial processes.
He said the judiciary remains a vital partner in the government’s campaign against corruption, stressing that meaningful reforms require cooperation among all branches of government.
The Ombudsman likewise proposed reviving the resident ombudsman program, which would deploy investigators to government agencies to help detect and prevent irregularities.
While acknowledging that institutional reforms would be challenging, Remulla said changing what he described as a culture of entitlement and conflicts of interest within government is essential to strengthening public accountability./PN
