NBI includes 4 more respondents in Bong Revilla plunder complaint, says DOJ

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed a motion to include four former district engineers as additional respondents in the plunder complaint filed against former Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. with the Department of Justice (DOJ), Justice spokesperson Polo Martinez said Friday.

These are former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) NCR engineers Denryl Caesar Cortuna, Manny Bulusan, Ruel Umali and Arturo Gonzales Jr.

“Nakita po ng NBI na based on the evidence that they currently have, itong apat po na ito are being charged by them, or may allegation of conspiracy which includes them. So parte daw po sila sa conspiracy of plunder,” MArtinez said in an ambush interview.

(The NBI saw that based on the evidence that they currently have, these four individuals are being alleged of conspiracy. So they are allegefly part of the conspiracy of plunder.)

Martinez said that subpoenas were issued against them earlier on Friday.

“Syempre pagbibigyan din po sila ng pag kakataon makapag file ng kontrasalaysay nila wherein they could include their defenses,” he said.

(Of course, they will be given the chance to file their counter-affidavit, where they could include their defenses.)

He said that due to the developments, the next preliminary hearing will be held on March 3, Tuesday.

Revilla’s other co-respondents are former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, former DPWH district engineer Henry Alcantara, former DPWH regional director Gerard Opulencia, and John/Jane does.

Of them, only Revilla filed his counter-affidavit on the complaint.

According to Revilla’s camp, 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).

For their part, Martinez previously said that respondents who are being considered as state witnesses may choose to submit a manifestation or a counter-affidavit. — BAP, GMA Integrated News