Palace still confident in case filed against Senator Revilla

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MANILA — Malacanang has expressed confidence that the case filed against Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. would stand, despite the Sandiganbayan’s move to deny the filing of an amended information.

“We are confident that sufficient work has been done to build a credible and convincing case (against Senator Revilla),” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a press briefing on Thursday.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor under the Office of the Ombudsman has filed amended information at the First Division of the Sandiganbayan.

According to reports, the prosecutor deleted the sentence, “Napoles was said to have been enabled to misappropriate government funds for her personal gain,” and replaced it with: “to emphasize that the senator was the one who amassed, accumulated and acquired ill-gotten wealth in connivance or in conspiracy with his co-accused public officer and private individuals.”

However, the chairman of the Sandiganbayan’s First Division, Justice Efren dela Cruz, said on Thursday that they will deny the motion to amend some information.

Coloma noted that making necessary changes is part of the duty of the prosecution.

“It is our view that in filing an amended information with the Sandiganbayan, the Office of the Special Prosecutor acted well within the rules of court that allow the prosecution to present its case in the manner it deems best consistent with its duty and mandate,” he said.

He assured the public that the government has a sufficient case against the senator, who faces plunder and graft charges in connection with the multi-million-peso pork barrel scam.

“Sa aming palagay naman ay ginawa ng mga kinauukulang ahensiya ng pamahalaan ang nararapat,” Coloma said.