THE Sandiganbayan Special Third Division has ordered the temporary detention of former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. at the Quezon City Jail in Barangay Payatas.
The anti-graft court’s order stems from the malversation case filed Friday by the Ombudsman against Revilla and six others over an alleged P92.8-million “ghost” flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.
Sandiganbayan Special Third Division chairperson and Associate Justice Karl Miranda justified the court’s decision by citing a letter from Philippine National Police (PNP) acting chief Jose Nartatez Jr. cautioning the anti-graft court against further ordering the detention of persons deprived of liberty inside the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame.
The PNP Custodial Center is a facility where suspected terrorists, suspects most likely to escape, and suspects charged with heinous crimes are detained.
The PNP argued that adding a high-risk detainee like Revilla would be “a burden on the part of the PNP” due to the additional financial and manpower resources it entails.
Revilla’s detention at the Quezon City Jail, however, is temporary since his camp filed a motion for him to be detained at the PNP Custodial Center. The anti-graft court will hear Revilla’s motion on Friday, January 23. The Sandiganbayan Third Division issued a warrant of arrest and a hold departure order against Revilla and six others on Monday.
