Revilla camp opposes additional respondents in plunder complaint

The camp of former Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. opposed Tuesday the inclusion of additional respondents in the plunder complaint filed against him with the Department of Justice (DOJ), his spokesperson said.

"In-oppose. Meron pong motion and opposition na finile si Senator Bong sa pamamagitan ng kanyang legal team," Revilla's spokesperson Francesca Señga said in an ambush interview following the hearing.

(It was opposed. Senator Bong filed a motion and opposition through his legal team.)

"Ino-oppose nila 'yung pagdagdag nitong mga respondents na ito kasi po 'yung epekto niya, para pong hindi buo 'yung sinasagot ni Senator Bong," she added.

(He opposed the inclusion of the respondents because the effect is, Senator Bong's answers through his counter-affidavit were incomplete.)

Señga said they were given time to file a supplemental counter-affidavit, but said they will wait for the panel of prosecutors' ruling on their motion.

Revilla filed his counter-affidavit on the allegations on February 12. 

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) then filed a motion to include former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) NCR engineers Denryl Caesar Cortuna, Manny Bulusan, Ruel Umali, and Arturo Gonzales Jr. in the complaint.

Señga also questioned anew why the respondents were included late.

"Itong mga sunod-sunod na kaso na ito, nanggaling naman sila sa same na affidavit pero nakakapagtaka na para siyang piecemeal or parang, ewan natin bakit parang binubuo belatedly," she said.

(This series of cases all came from the same affidavit, but it is puzzling that they seem piecemeal or, as if, we don’t know why, they are being put together belatedly.)

His original co-respondents—former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, former DPWH district engineer Henry Alcantara, and former DPWH regional director Gerard Opulencia—previously manifested that they will no longer answer the complaint as they were discharged for being part of the Witness Protection Program (WPP).

Justice spokesperson Polo Martinez said Revilla, Bernardo, Alcantara, and Opulencia will be given until March 26 to file their supplemental counter-affidavits, if they wish to do so.

Meanwhile, he said the four respondents appeared at the preliminary hearing, but did not file their counter-affidavits.

"Instead, they asked for an extension of time to file until March 13, 2026 so that's 10 days from now," Martinez said. — VDV, GMA Integrated News