Palace defends Ombudsman after Bong Revilla granted bail

Malacañang on Monday defended the Office of the Ombudsman after former senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. was allowed to post bail in connection with his malversation case.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro pointed out that Revilla was the only accused granted bail, while the petitions of his six co-accused were denied.

“Hindi lang po si dating senador Bong Revilla ang akusado dito. Siya lamang ang nabigyan ng pagkakataon na mag-post ng bail for temporary liberty," Castro said during a press briefing.

(Former senator Bong Revilla is not the only accused here. He was merely the only one given the opportunity to post bail for temporary liberty.)

"Yung ibang sangkot ay hindi po na-grant ang petition for bail. Huwag nating kalimutan 'yan,” she added.

(The petitions for bail of the others involved were not granted. Let us not forget that.)

Castro said the court's ruling should not be taken as an indication that the Office of the Ombudsman and state prosecutors failed to do their jobs.

“Hindi natin masasabi na hindi sapat ang naging trabaho ng Office of the Ombudsman at ng mga state prosecutors. Hindi ito gauge na hindi sila nagtatrabaho,” she said.

(We cannot say that the work of the Office of the Ombudsman and the state prosecutors was insufficient. This is not a gauge that they are not doing their jobs.)

On July 31, the Sandiganbayan granted Revilla's petition for bail in the malversation case involving the alleged ghost P92.8-million flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.

The anti-graft court set Revilla's bail at P1 million but denied the bail petitions of his six co-accused, all former officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, meanwhile, said his office had anticipated the possibility that the Sandiganbayan would grant Revilla's petition for bail.

“We knew this... It could really happen that someone worked on this so the bail would be granted,” Remulla said. — MCG, GMA News