Lawyer: Bong to file bail petition

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. will ask the Sandiganbayan that he be granted bail in the non-bailable plunder case he faces in connection with the pork barrel scam, his lawyer said Thursday.

Lawyer Joel Bodegon said this in a phone-patch interview on ANC after the anti-graft court found probable cause to proceed with the charges against Revilla and his co-accused including his staff member, Atty. Richard Cambe, businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, John Raymund de Asis and Ronald Lim.

But Bodegon said he is not aware of reports that Revilla's camp has informed the clerk of court of the senator's willingness to surrender.

"If he surrenders, he will be detained. The next move for him is to file a petition for bail," Bodegon told ANC.

He said they would file the bail petition tomorrow, but he concedes that a decision won't be issued immediately.

"He (Revilla) would spend more nights [in jail] before the Sandiganbayan could act on our motion for bail," Bodegon said.

The Sandiganbayan failed to issue the arrest warrant against Revilla on Thursday.

Revilla has been charged for supposedly amassing P224 million in kickbacks from his pork barrel funds coursed to bogus foundations of Napoles.

The Sandiganbayan earlier denied Revilla's petition to suspend hearings on the plunder case.

Also facing plunder charges are Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada. The three officials have said that they are ready to end up in jail. -Louis Bacani