Former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. may have secured his temporary freedom in a separate malversation case, but an unresolved ₱124.5-million obligation from the controversial pork barrel scandal continues to follow him.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Saturday revealed that the former lawmaker has yet to return the massive amount in civil liabilities ordered by the Sandiganbayan nearly eight years ago.
The reminder came shortly after Revilla posted ₱1 million bail and was allowed to leave detention on Friday in connection with a malversation case linked to the flood control controversy.
Speaking on his weekly DZRH radio program, “Executive Session,” Remulla said the payment obligation was explicitly included in the 2018 ruling that acquitted Revilla of plunder.
“It was included in his judgment of acquittal, and until now, the money has yet to be returned to the government,” Remulla said.
The Ombudsman also questioned why such a substantial financial obligation had apparently remained unsettled for years, stressing that the judiciary should have an effective system for monitoring civil liabilities arising from high-profile corruption cases.
According to Remulla, the Supreme Court and lower courts must ensure that court-ordered payments involving public funds do not simply disappear from official scrutiny once the criminal aspect of a case has been resolved.
Acquitted, But Ordered to Pay
In December 2018, the Sandiganbayan cleared Revilla of plunder charges arising from the multibillion-peso Priority Development Assistance Fund scam.
However, the court directed him to return ₱124.5 million to the national treasury as part of the civil liability connected to the case.
Revilla’s former chief of staff, Richard Cambe, and businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles were convicted in the same proceedings.
The ruling immediately sparked confusion and criticism because Revilla was acquitted of criminal liability but was still named in the directive to return the funds.
In 2019, the Office of the Ombudsman asked the anti-graft court to compel Revilla to pay, arguing that the transactions were carried out through the former senator’s office.
Revilla’s legal team, then led by the late Estelito Mendoza, maintained that he could not be held civilly liable after being acquitted of the criminal charge.
Years later, the dispute remains unresolved, with Remulla’s latest statement reviving questions about who is responsible for enforcing the payment and why the government has yet to recover the money.
Old Case Casts New Shadow
The issue has resurfaced at a politically sensitive time for Revilla, who is facing another legal battle involving alleged irregularities in flood control projects.
Although the posting of bail does not determine guilt or innocence, his release has renewed public attention on the former senator’s previous cases and unsettled financial obligations.
For Remulla, the bigger issue goes beyond Revilla.
The Ombudsman warned that court decisions involving the recovery of public money must be closely monitored to prevent civil liabilities from becoming forgotten footnotes in lengthy corruption cases.
Nearly eight years after the Sandiganbayan ruling, one question remains unanswered:
When will the government recover the ₱124.5 million?
