Sandiganbayan asked to summon documents for Bong Revilla’s defense

In preparation for his trial for plunder and graft in connection with the pork barrel scam, Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. has asked the Sandiganbayan First Division to summon several documents that his camp believes will bolster his defense.

In a five-page motion dated January 29, 2016, Revilla, through his legal counsels, asked the First Division to issue a subpoena on the travel records of pork barrel scam primary state witness Benhur Luy.

Revilla said the travel records would show that on the dates that Luy claimed in his sworn affidavit that he delivered “pork” kickbacks for the senator, Luy was actually out of the country.

“There were also reports that during the dates specifically 18 to 29 October 2008, when Luy supposedly delivered kickbacks for Senator Revilla, he was outside of the Philippines. This claim would be properly clarified by the travel records of Luy recorded by the Bureau of Immigration, and will support Senator Revilla’s defense,” the motion read.

Revilla further asked the court to also issue a subpoena on the transcript of the hearings conducted by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on the pork barrel scam.

Revilla specifically asked for the production of transcript of stenographic notes of the Blue Ribbon Committee hearings on August 29, 2013; September 5, 12 and 26, 2013; November 7, 2013 and March 6, 2014.

Revilla said that during those hearings, “Luy admitted that he and the other whistleblowers 'forged' the signatures on several documents in relation to the implementation of the alleged ghost projects of some lawmakers supposedly funded by their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel.

Revilla said Luy also admitted that he and the other whistleblowers “fabricated documents to establish the implementation of the projects funded through the PDAF”.

Revilla asked the First Division to issue a subpoena on the case records from the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 53 regarding a civil forfeiture case filed against the alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles.

Revilla said that in the said civil case which remains pending before Manila RTC, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) listed the alleged ill-gotten wealth not only of Napoles, but also of Luy.

“The records of the AMLC case will show Luy’s ill-gotten wealth,” Revilla’s motion read.

Lastly, Revilla also asked for the production of the audit reports of the Commission on Audit (COA) on the Technology Resource Center (TRC), National Livelihood Development Corporation (NLDC) and the National Agribusiness Corporation (NABCOR) for years 2006 to 2010.

The TRC, NLDC and NABCOR, were the three government agencies allegedly chosen personally by Revilla to be his partners in the implementation of his PDAF-funded projects.

Revilla said the COA reports would show no irregularities were found on the transactions and operations of these three agencies during those years.

Revilla is facing plunder and graft charges in connection with the pork barrel scam. He is accused of amassing P224-million worth of kickbacks by allocating his PDAF for 2006 to 2010 to the fake non-government organizations (NGOs) allegedly owned by Napoles.

The First Division has set the pre-trial of his plunder case on Thursday, February 4 while the pre-trial of his graft case is set on March 7.

In his motion, Revilla said his camp had already exerted “reasonable efforts” to obtain these documents that he wants to use as his pieces of evidence in his defense.

He said his camp failed to secure them without a subpoenas from the court.

“Considering the grave nature of the charges against him, Senator Revilla believes that these records and reports are relevant to his defense, and he needs to examine them in order to have them marked in evidence in theses cases, and properly prepare for his defense during trial,” Revilla’s motion read.

Revilla said that under the Constitution as well as the Rules of Criminal Procedure, an accused has the right to be assisted by the court in securing the “attendance of witnesses and production of other evidence in his behalf”.

“In view thereof and in accordance with the dictates of due process, Senator Revilla respectfully requests for the production, copying or photographing of the aforementioned case records and reports, which are in the possession of the respective government offices and courts, in order for him to properly prepare for his defense during trial,” Revilla said.

Revilla is currently detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

The First Division had earlier denied his petition to post bail for his plunder case, citing the strong evidence presented by the prosecution against him. -NB, GMA News