Bong Revilla to appeal junking of bail petition –lawyer

The camp of detained Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. will appeal the decision of the Sandiganbayan denying his request to post bail.

In an interview with GMA News TV's “Balitanghali” Tuesday, lawyer Raymond Fortun, Revilla's counsel, said they have yet to receive a copy of the decision but they will be filing within 15 days a motion for reconsideration to further explain to the anti-graft court's justices their stand.

“Definitely magpa-file ng motion for reconsideration yung mga lawyers dahil naniniwala yung mga lawyers at si Sen. Bong na hindi talaga napatunayan nang maigi ng prosecution yung standard na kinakailangan para ma-deny yung petition for bail,” he said.

He said Revilla was surprised with the court's decision because he believed that the case against him was weak.

The senator is facing one count of plunder and 16 counts of graft before the Sandiganbayan First Division in connection with the alleged pork barrel scam. He is accused of receiving P224.5 million in kickbacks from 2006 to 2010 for funding the ghost projects of non-government organizations linked to businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles.

The court on Tuesday denied the request of Revilla, Napoles, and his staff Richard Cambe for temporary freedom. Revilla and Cambe are detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center while Napoles is at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

Asked if Revilla will be seeking Christmas furlough, Fortun said they have yet to talk about it.

“Inaasahan nga nila na sila ay makakauwi without any condition or limitations for Christmas. They have very high hopes na makakauwi talaga sila bago mag-Pasko. Right now, hindi pa napag-uusapan kung hihingi ng furlough. It maybe considered but kung hindi naman the senator and family will adapt,” he said. —Amita O. Legaspi/KBK, GMA News