Ombudsman Junks Revilla’s Plunder Complaint Vs. Whistleblowers

The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed the plunder charges filed by Senator Bong Revilla Jr. against three pork barrel scam whistleblowers that includes Benhur Luy, a statement said Thursday.

The statement released on Thursday said Ombudsman Conchita Morales dismissed Senator Revilla’s plunder charge against whistleblowers Benhur Luy, Merlina Suñas and Marina Sula on the ground that “since the three have been admitted to the Department of Justice’s Witness Protection Program.”

Morales also dismissed Senator Revilla’s counter-charges against fellow respondents in the ‘pork’ scam cases saying the counter-charge was junked “because it stems from similar, if not identical, factual allegations as those filed by the National Bureau of Investigation and Field Investigation Office against them who are, in any event, already impleaded.”

At the same time, the joint order by a special panel of investigators, dated January 28, 2014, also denied the senator’s motion to suspend the preliminary investigation on the plunder charge filed against him. The senator’s motion to suspend the preliminary investigation of the pork barrel scam was dismissed because investigators found “no prejudicial question exists to warrant the suspension…”

Earlier report from newspapers said Revilla asked the Ombudsman to suspend its preliminary investigation pending the resolution of the civil case before Branch 19 of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Bacoor City in Cavite, arguing on the basis that the civil complaint for declaration of nullity of documents involved facts intimately related to the plunder complaint.

However, the joint order ruled the civil complaint at the RTC “has no bearing in the outcome of the criminal cases filed with the OMB.”

Revilla’s counsel, Atty. Joel Bodegon, said in a text message that they will ask the Ombudsman, through a formal motion, to reconsider its decision to proceed with the plunder proceedings against his client. The senator’s lawyer maintained that “the civil case and the criminal case are based on the same set of facts and circumstances.”

Senator Revilla is facing plunder charges before the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly “pocketing” more than P224 million in kickbacks from the alleged pork barrel scam.

Source: Gma News Online