Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1771216546082635113017_1423872319788020_8904686964398168742_n.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and his co-accused arrive at the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City on Monday, February 16, 2026, for their arraignment over graft and malversation charges linked to an alleged &quot;ghost&quot; flood control project in Bulacan. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span>MANILA <strong>(2nd UPDATE) </strong>—  Former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla on Monday refused to enter a plea in his malversation case at the Sandiganbayan over an alleged anomalous flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan. </div><p>Based on court rules, the Sandiganbayan Third Division entered a “not guilty” plea for Revilla, triggering the start of the pre-trial period.</p><p>The pre-trial is scheduled on March 6, while the preliminary conference was set from Feb. 23 to 27.</p><p>Revilla’s counsel, Francesca Señga, said they did not enter a plea anew because the former senator maintains his position questioning the legality and validity of the cases against him. </p><p>“Para makapag-avail pa siya ng remedies na pwede pang ma-avail para kuwestiyunin yung legality ng information,” said Señga.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FabscbnNEWS%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0S7hzxfCzPrL6UJegcXLzser17dZSXKzZUngcMLbMPEoiaE4M9igv8zUMr64susKhl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="703" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>Meanwhile, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office (DEO) accountant Juanito Mendoza pleaded not guilty to the same charge.</div><p>Revila’s other co-accused – DPWH Bulacan 1st DEO Assistant Engineer Brice Hernandez, Engr. Jaypee Mendoza, Engr. Emelita Juat, Engr. Arjay Domasig and Christina Pineda – entered not guilty pleas for malversation on Feb. 9. </p><p>It was only now that Revilla and Mendoza’s arraignment pushed through after being postponed twice. </p><p>Revilla’s camp filed a motion for inhibition against Sandiganbayan Third Division Chairperson Karl Miranda earlier last week due to alleged conflict of interest. </p><p>This motion was junked by Miranda last week, saying this lacked any merit.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>LEAVE OF COURT PARTIALLY GRANTED </strong></div><p>Meanwhile, the anti-graft court division granted Revilla and Mendoza’s leave of court after this motion was denied last week. </p><p>This decision allowed Revilla and Mendoza to file a motion for reconsideration on the Ombudsman Resolution ordering the filing of malversation charges against them.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F2105647350191652%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>The Sandiganbayan division said the Ombudsman has 60 days to resolve the matter. It, however, affirmed its Feb. 5, 2026 resolution on the motion for leave when it comes to other matters.</div><p>Both camps earlier argued that they were not given the opportunity to respond to the accusation for the crime of malversation through falsification of public documents. </p><p>But the prosecution said that the two were notified of the Ombudsman resolution when the information was filed in court. </p><p>“Both accused failed to provide any compelling reason for the grant of leave of court to file their respective motions for reconsideration before the Ombudsman,” the prosecution’s position read, based on the document. </p><p>“Considering that Revilla and Juanito Mendoza are charged with conspiracy, the presence of the element of malversation as to any of the accused is sufficient to sustain the Information against a motion to quash,” the document read. <strong></strong><strong><br/></strong></p><p>In an interview with reporters, Señga said the court’s partial granting of their motion for leave was a welcome development.</p><p>Señga said based on court rules, securing a leave of court is necessary before the Ombudsman acts on the motion for reconsideration or reinvestigation. </p><p>“Once nasa korte na ang kaso, it is the court that would have a full control of proceedings, so kailangan ang paalam ng korte para pahintulutan na ipasa pabalik ang… reinvestigation sa Ombudsman,” Señga told reporters. </p><p>“As we maintained, may violation ng due process sa parte ni Senator Bong. So hindi siya binigyan ng sapat na pagkakataon para matanggap ang mga dokumento… na higit 700 pages na complaint na hindi siya na-furnish. Yung mga charge na umabot sa korte, hindi yun yung charge na lumabas sa Ombudsman-level kaya humihingi siya ng pagkakataon na harapin itong mga charges na ito na hindi pinasagot sa kanya dati,” she added. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>OMBUDSMAN: THIS IS PROCEDURE</strong></div><p>Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said they would ask the panel of prosecutors to resolve the matter “so they could come up with another resolution” based on the motion for reconsideration. </p><p>“That is something we can discuss with the Sandiganbayan so we can harmonize,” Clavano told reporters. </p><p>“The prosecutors… [is] the one handling that, I can get a report and give you a copy para maintindihan natin. But usually, from my understanding, the MR has to be resolved before the certain – let’s see. Hindi ko pa alam ang facts talaga sa nangyari na ganun but I’ll get you a report,” he said. </p><p>Clavano also denied they did not give any due process to Revilla and other co-accused. </p><p>“Hindi ko alam yung definition nila pero sa amin, ibinigay na namin lahat, sinunod namin ang lahat ng patakaran sa Office of the Ombudsman para ibigay ang opportunity sa kanila na sumagot,” Clavano said.  </p><p>“Yan ang kahulugan ng due process,” he said. </p><p>During the preliminary conference from Feb. 23 to 27, the prosecution and the defense will mark the pieces of evidence during the preliminary conference.</p><p>Meanwhile, Revilla’s camp is seeking to file a petition for bail before Feb. 20.</p><p>Revilla was implicated in the flood control mess after former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo alleged he received kickbacks in exchange for facilitating or endorsing flood control projects.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/23/bong-revilla-arraignment-0842">Bong Revilla arraignment rescheduled</a></div><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><p>Revilla has denied the allegations.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hSoIiXR4omo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UdTVMJXlMOc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rgl40BdKe2Y?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MVAH0E9iJ18?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Former Senator Bong Revilla arrived at the Sandiganbayan on Monday morning to attend the arraignment for his malversation case.</p>

Former Senator Bong Revilla arrived at the Sandiganbayan on Monday morning to attend the arraignment for his malversation case.

Court enters not guilty plea for Bong Revilla in malversation case

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Court enters not guilty plea for Bong Revilla in malversation case

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 16, 2026 08:06 AM PHT

|

Updated Feb 16, 2026 02:51 PM PHT

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bong revilla

sandiganbayan

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