Sandiganbayan decision on Bong Revilla bail petition expected next month

The Sandiganbayan Third Division is expected to issue a ruling next month on the bail petition filed by former Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. and his six other co-accused in the malversation case linked to the P92.8 million alleged ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.

The court originally scheduled its ruling for May 6, but postponed the date to review a lengthy bail hearing transcript and additional submissions from two of the accused.

The additional submissions were from former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan First District Engineering Office Engineer (DEO) Jaypee Mendoza and DPWH First DEO finance section chief Juanito Mendoza.

Jaypee filed a late petition for bail, while Juanito filed a late supplemental memorandum.

“On behalf of the court's Third Division, please be informed that the court was constrained to request for an extension of time to resolve the accused's separate petition/s for bail in the case of People of the Philippines vs. Ramon Bautista Bong Revilla, Jr., et al., considering the volume of records generated by the proceedings and the number of transcript of stenographic notes (TSN) containing the witnesses' extensive testimonies,” lawyer Dennis Pulma, the Clerk of Court of the Sandiganbayan Third Division, said in a statement.

“The period of extension is 30 days, beginning May 7, 2026,” he added.

Aside from Revilla and the Mendozas, other respondents include: engineers Brice Hernandez, Arjay Domasig, Emelita Juat, and cashier Christina Pineda.

The last day of the bail hearing on April 24, which lasted for around 11 hours, featured state witness and former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo testifying that he delivered P250 million worth of commitment fee or portion of the payment for government projects to Revilla.

Bernardo said he personally delivered P125 million to Revilla's White House residence in 2024 and another P125 million in March 2025. Further, Bernardo said there was a delivery of P250 million commitment fee made by his aide, Vergel Niño Garcia, to Revilla's residence in February 2025, but the latter was not present during that time.

"I have seen the boxes delivered. I myself, with my driver, two times. I was there in first and third deliveries," Bernardo said.

Bernardo said that six boxes and a paper bag were delivered to Revilla the first time, 13 boxes the second time, and six boxes the third time. —LDF, GMA News