Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Kaxandra Salonga

ABS-CBN News

<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F904040742316128%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden;--darkreader-inline-border-top:0px;--darkreader-inline-border-right:0px;--darkreader-inline-border-bottom:0px;--darkreader-inline-border-left:0px" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" data-darkreader-inline-border-top="" data-darkreader-inline-border-right="" data-darkreader-inline-border-bottom="" data-darkreader-inline-border-left=""></iframe></div><p>MANILA (UPDATED) — The Sandiganbayan rescheduled the Friday arraignment of former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. for his malversation and graft cases tied to an alleged P92.8-million ghost flood control project in Bulacan.  </p><p>The anti-graft court&#x27;s Third Division, which is handling the malversation case, and the Fourth Division assigned to the graft case moved the arraignment on Feb. 9, pending the resolution of motions filed by the accused.</p><p>The two court divisions gave the prosecution five calendar days to submit comments on the omnibus motions filed by Revilla and his co-accused, who are former officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office. </p><p>Only one accused, Engineer Emelita Juat, pleaded not guilty before the Sandiganbayan’s Fourth Division.</p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FabscbnNEWS%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0b1buQY779Ntqtds11hTUJwLPhHjPEf5RxqyAbBip7riwrqrJRj4NenvpPNfUxnn7l&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="728" style="border:none;overflow:hidden;--darkreader-inline-border-top:0px;--darkreader-inline-border-right:0px;--darkreader-inline-border-bottom:0px;--darkreader-inline-border-left:0px" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" data-darkreader-inline-border-top="" data-darkreader-inline-border-right="" data-darkreader-inline-border-bottom="" data-darkreader-inline-border-left=""></iframe></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>PENDING MOTIONS </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Revilla earlier filed an urgent motion to be detained at the PNP custodial facility in Camp Crame, citing security concerns over the alleged gang activity in the city jail.</p><p>The Third Division, chaired by Associate Justice Karl Miranda, said it would first inspect the conditions at the Quezon City Jail in Payatas, where Revilla and four other male accused are committed, and at Camp Karingal, where the two female accused are detained.</p><p>Associate Justice Miranda earlier said that in a letter dated Jan. 6, Acting PNP Chief PLtGen. Jose Nartatez told the court that its custodial facility in Camp Crame was short on financial and manpower resources.</p><p>Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla also previously mentioned the PNP custodial facility was undergoing renovation.</p><p>On Jan. 21, Juat’s counsel filed a motion seeking her continued detention at the Bulacan Police Provincial Office.</p><p>However, Associate Justice Miranda said Bulacan was too far and noted that the accused had to be brought to court on time for hearings.</p><p>The accused had also filed motions for reinvestigation, for the deferment of the issuance of warrants of arrest, and a motion to quash the information.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>DEFENSE CLAIMS REVILLA NOT PROPERLY INFORMED OF CASES</strong></div><div><strong> </strong></div><p>During the hearing, Revilla’s counsel argued before the two court divisions that the allegations in the information filed by the Ombudsman did not show a common criminal design, nor did they establish misappropriation of public funds or falsification of public documents.</p><p>He maintained that Revilla was not a public officer at the time material to the case and that he was not properly informed of the information filed by the Office of the Ombudsman against him. </p><p>“What we had wanted to emphasize was that [sa] procedure, hindi po nakatanggap kami nung copy nung malversation complaint with all the thick attachments,” Revilla’s lawyer Reody Anthony Balisi told reporters after the hearing. </p><p>Meanwhile, counsel for Juanito Mendoza moved to consolidate the graft and malversation cases handled by the two divisions. </p><p>Associate Justice Miranda said the prosecution should address whether consolidation would affect the accused’s right to a speedy trial. </p><p>Revilla, who earlier posted a P90,000 bail for his graft charge, was implicated in the flood control mess after former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo alleged he received kickbacks in exchange for facilitating or endorsing flood control projects.</p><p>On Jan. 19, the Sandiganbayan Third Division issued arrest warrants and hold departure orders against them.</p><p>The Office of the Ombudsman, which filed the malversation and graft cases on Jan. 16, said the respondents allegedly connived to channel P76 million worth of funds for the construction of the project, which was never implemented despite being declared completed.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/22/lani-mercado-appeals-for-fairness-due-process-as-bong-revilla-faces-new-detention-1226">Lani Mercado appeals for fairness, due process as Bong Revilla faces new detention</a></div><p>Revilla has denied the allegations.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/21/bong-revilla-tried-but-failed-to-bring-clothes-gadgets-into-qc-jail-bjmp-1227">Bong Revilla tried but failed to bring clothes, gadgets into QC Jail: BJM</a></div>

<p>The Sandiganbayan on Friday rescheduled the arraignment of former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. for his malversation case tied to an alleged ghost flood control project in Bulacan.</p>

The Sandiganbayan on Friday rescheduled the arraignment of former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. for his malversation case tied to an alleged ghost flood control project in Bulacan.

Bong Revilla arraignment rescheduled

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Bong Revilla arraignment rescheduled

Kaxandra Salonga,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 23, 2026 08:42 AM PHT

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Updated Jan 23, 2026 09:54 PM PHT

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Bong Revilla

arraignment

Bulacan

corruption

flood control

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