Revilla arrives at Sandiganbayan for plunder trial

Former senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. has arrived at the Sandiganbayan on Thursday for the start of his plunder trial for the pork barrel scam.

Revilla arrived past 8 a.m. for the trial.

Ex-senator Bong Revilla Jr. now at Sandiganbayan for start of his plunder trial in connection w/ pork barrel scam. @gmanewsbreaking pic.twitter.com/5idR6hjzRA

— Xianne Arcangel (@xianneangel) January 12, 2017

Also here at Sandiganbayan: Revilla's wife, Bacoor mayor Lani Revilla (in gray) and his lawyer Estelito Mendoza. @gmanewsbreaking pic.twitter.com/YtSDt7u8Kx

— Xianne Arcangel (@xianneangel) January 12, 2017

His former chief of staff, Richard Cambe, also showed up at the anti-graft court for the trial.

Revilla is the first senator implicated in the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam to be put on trial.

He is accused of pocketing P224.5 million in kickbacks from channeling his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocations to bogus non-government organizations linked to businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles. —KG, GMA News