Bong Revilla files counter-affidavit on plunder complaint

Former senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. on Thursday filed his counter-affidavit on the plunder complaint against him with the Department of Justice (DOJ), as his camp expressed alarm over the supposed inconsistent allegations against him.

“Nag-submit siya ng counter-affidavit o sinagot niya ‘yung reklamo na laban sa kanya,” lawyer Francesca Señga, Revilla’s spokesperson, said in an ambush interview.

(He submitted his counter-affidavit and he answered the allegations against him.)

The complaint was for plunder, violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, direct bribery and receiving gifts by public officers, and corruption of public officers.

His co-respondents are former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, former DPWH district engineer Henry Alcantara, former DPWH regional director Gerard Opulencia, and John/Jane does.

Señga said there were inconsistencies in the allegations against Revilla. She said that Bernardo executed six affidavits, of which only two were included in the complaint.

“Bakit? Kasi kung titignan niyo ‘yung mga affidavit na salaysay ni Usec. Bernardo, makikita ninyo na nag iiba-iba ‘yung kuwento niya. Saan nag iiba-iba? Una, magkakaiba ‘yung mga petsa kung kailan ‘di umano binigyan ng pera o dinala ‘yung pera sa bahay ni Senator Bong,” she said.

(Why? Because if you will see Usec. Bernardo's affidavits, there are conflicting narratives. What are these? First, there are conflicting dates when the money was allegedly given or brought to the house of Senator Bong.)

“Pangalawa, nag iiba-iba ‘yung amount. Pangatlo, nag iiba-iba ‘yung number ng deliveries. ‘Yung una isang beses, nung sumunod dalawang beses, sumunod tatlo. Ano ba talaga?” she added.

(Second, the amount varies. Third, the number of deliveries varies ... first, it was one time, then twice, then thrice. Which is which.)

She also denied Bernardo’s claim that he met with Revilla, saying the former senator was at a different event.

“Maraming taong nakakakita. Kaya imposibleng magkasama sila nung araw na ‘yun (A lot of people saw him. So it’s impossible that they were together),” Señga said.   

Señga said that when Revilla was filing his counter-affidavit, his co-respondents manifested that they will no longer answer the complaint as they were discharged for being part of the Witness Protection Program (WPP).

“Nakakapagtaka. Apat na respondents, tatlo nasa WPP. Isa lang matitira,” she said.

(It’s confusing. There are four respondents, and three are part of the WPP. So there will only be one left.)

Señga said that their camp does not yet know what the effect of this is.

“We will have to review the documents and the team will have to discuss. The legal team will have to discuss these new developments,” she said. 

Revilla: Hindi ko alam paano nakakatulog yung mga nag akusa sa akin.

Revilla’s camp said he has filed his counter-affidavit @gmanews pic.twitter.com/7MNFvPKBx9

— Joahna Lei Casilao (@joahnacasilao) February 12, 2026

Señga, however, questioned how the conspiracy could be proven if there is only one respondent.

"How can it be a conspiracy kung nag-iisa lang hindi ba, iyon ang isang katanungan diyan," Señga said.

(How can it be a conspiracy if there is only one. That’s the question.)

For their part, Justice spokesperson Polo Martinez said the Revilla camp's claim that conspiracy cannot be established is not accurate.

"Because the allegations of conspiracy by the NBI will still have to be thoroughly discussed by the prosecutors in the resolution and they would still have to determine whether or not such conspiracy did exist," he said.

He said the respondents are not automatically removed from the resolution upon filing that they are state witnesses.

"What happens is, kapag nalaman na state witness na sila, ilalagay pa rin ‘yan sa resolution that they are being discharged as state witness," he said.

(What happens is once they are state witnesses, it will still be included in the resolution that they are being discharged as state witness.)

"As to the allegation of conspiracy, siyempre idi-discuss pa rin po sa resolution ng prosecutors, their participation in the case. So 'yung allegations in the complaint by the NBI will still be discussed in the resolution whether or not mayroong counter affidavit or manifestation ang respondent,” he added.

(The allegations of conspiracy will still have to be discussed in the resolution of the prosecutors, their participation in the case. So the allegations in the complaint by the NBI will still be discussed in the resolution whether or not the respondents have a counter affidavit or a manifestation.)

He also said respondents have the option to file a counter-affidavit or a manifestation.

"So they are not exempt from filing a pleading before the panel of prosecutors kasi siyempre, kung state witness po sila, they will still have to allege such a fact in their pleading,” he said.

Following the preliminary hearing, Revilla was escorted back to the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas.

“Hindi ko alam paano nakakatulog ‘yung mga nag akusa sa akin (I don't know how the people who accused me can sleep at night),” he said. — RSJ/ VDV, GMA Integrated News