Sandiganbayan issues hold departure order vs Revilla, cohorts

MANILA—The Sandiganbayan first division on Tuesday issued a hold-departure order (HDO) against Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles, and their co-accused in the graft and plunder charges filed against them.

Among his co-accused in plunder who were also issued an HDO were Revilla’s former political adviser Richard Cambe, Napoles’ employee John Raymund De Asis, and Napoles’ nephew Ronald John Lim.

Revilla’s co-accused in graft barred from leaving the country were: Napoles; Cambe; John Raymund De Asis, Napoles’ employee; Budget Undersecretary Mario Relampagos; former directors-general of the Technology Resource Center (TRC) Antonio Ortiz and Dennis Cunanan; Allan Javellana, former president of National Agribusiness Corp. (Nabcor); Gondelina Amata, president of the National Livelihood Development Corp. (NLDC).

Also covered by the HDO were TRC employees Marivic Jover, Francisco Figura, and Ma. Rosalinda Lacsamana; NLDC employees Emmanuel Sevidal, Sofia Cruz, Chita Jalandoni, Evelyn Sucgang, Gregoria Buenaventura; Nabcor employees Rhodora Mendoza, Victor Cacal, Maria Ninez Guanizo, Maria Julie Villarolvo-Johnson; Evelyn De Leon, president of Napoles NGO Philippine Social Development Foundation; Rosario Nunez; Lalaine Paule; Marilou Bare; Myla Ogerio; Eulogio Rodriguez; Laarni Uy; Consuelo Espiritu; Encarnita Munsod; Ofelia Ordonez; and Jocelyn Piorato.

The first division is chaired by Associate Justices Efren Dela Cruz, with Associate Justices Napoleon Inoturan and Rafael Lagos as members.

On Monday, the Sandiganbayan fifth division also barred Senator Jinggoy Estrada and his co-accused in his graft and plunder cases from leaving the country.

Senators Revilla, Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile face plunder and graft charges before the Sandiganbayan for their alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam.

The Ombudsman said it found probable cause to indict Revilla with one count of plunder and 16 counts of graft; Enrile with one count of plunder and 15 counts of graft; and Estrada with one count of plunder and 11 counts of graft.

Also charged was Napoles.

The pork barrel scam is an elaborate scheme of allegedly diverting billions of Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) to ghost projects for kickbacks.