Ombudsman Remulla on Bong Revilla bail grant: We expected this to happen

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Saturday said the Sandiganbayan's granting of the bail petition of former senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., who is facing a malversation case over a flood control project, was expected.

"We predicted this to happen. Alam naman namin ito... Meron talaga mangyayari na mukhang natrabaho, na magkaroon ng grant of bail," Remulla said in his radio program.

(We knew this... It could really happen that someone worked on this so the bail would be granted.)

“It’s an eye-opener that we have to fight harder for us to win the war against corruption,” Remulla said.

He also maintained that none of the cases they were pursuing are being weaponized, explaining that they have already raised the standard of reasonable certainty of conviction before they file a charge.

The Ombudsman earlier filed charges of malversation through the falsification of documents and graft against Revilla Jr., former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan Assistant District Engineer Brice Hernandez, and five others over the alleged P92.8-million ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.

The said project was found to be an empty lot with no physical structure.

Revilla thereafter surrendered to the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) after the Sandiganbayan Third Division issued an arrest warrant against him over the said flood control project.

The Sandiganbayan Third Division granted Revilla's petition for bail on Friday, July 31.

After posting a P1-million cash bond, Revilla was then released from the Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory in Payatas at 6:14 p.m. on July 31.

'I want to talk to the Chief Justice'

Remulla said he wants to talk to Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo about the matter.

"I will have a dialogue with the Supreme Court very soon. I will text my classmate pagkatapos itong programang 'to (after this program) so we can meet up. I want to talk to the Chief Justice who will be retiring in November so that his legacy will be okay, will be good," he said.

Remulla said the Supreme Court should check if officials are abusing their positions.

"Maybe we have to look at the selection of people that were there. 'Yung kanilang (Their) stay in office should always be looked upon by the Supreme Court. Bibigyan ng test 'yung mga tao na puwedeng umaabuso (They should give tests to those who could abuse (their position). They should look at the transcripts of records on how everything is being conducted," he said.

The Ombudsman also said a whole of government approach is needed to win the war against corruption.

Remulla said only half of the process is done by the Ombudsman, and the other half is in the hands of the judiciary.

"It takes a whole of government approach to solve this... Hindi lang kami 'yan (It's not just us). The other half of it is the judiciary. Ang sinasabi ko rito, ang kalahati ng proseso nasa judiciary (What I am saying is half of the process is with the judiciary)...The judiciary, led by the Supreme Court, has to take track, has to look at the whole situation of the country... So, we just want the Supreme Court to look into, to be one with us in changing this country, moving it forward, and of course, fighting corruption," he said.

Painful

Remulla, meanwhile, also described the process of cracking down on corruption as “painful.”

“It will be very painful for everybody. We are trying to change the culture, the culture of entitlement na entitled silang magka conflict of interest na walang huhuli sa kanila, na hindi papansinin yung ilegal na ginagawa nila. Pwede ba yon? ” Remulla said.

(It will be very painful for everybody. We are trying to change the culture, the culture of entitlement that they are entitled to have a conflict of interest that no one catches them in, that no one notices the illegal things they do. Should that be allowed?)

The Ombudsman said that corruption was pervasive, even on the local level. Without naming names, Remulla cited waste disposal as a prominent business for local mayors.

Remulla said that his agency is currently looking into the revival of the resident ombudsman program, which places agency investigators within different agencies and offices to act as watchdogs.

—with reports from Jean Mangaluz/ KG/ VAL, GMA News