Revilla bid to inhibit justice junked anew

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has upheld its earlier ruling denying former senator Ramon Revilla Jr.’s bid to stop one of its justices – who specifically ruled to deny him P1 million bail – from hearing his malversation case.

The anti-graft court’s Third Division “denied for lack of merit” Revilla’s motion for reconsideration of the denial of his earlier motion intended to make Associate Justice Karl Miranda inhibit from his case.

Miranda, chairman of the Third Division, previously objected to the court’s majority ruling to grant Revilla P1 million bail for his temporary freedom amid his ongoing trial for malversation.

The case stemmed from allegations that he received kickbacks from a P92.8-million ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.

Miranda asserted it was “difficult to justify” Revilla’s being granted temporary liberty while his co-accused remain behind bars.

In his motion, Revilla accused Miranda of being biased against his bail petition. In contesting his bail petition, Revilla claimed Miranda relied only on “uncorroborated and bare” testimony of state witness former public works undersecretary Roberto Bernardo. Revilla noted Miranda’s brother had acted as Bernardo’s counsel.

In denying his motion for reconsideration, the Sandiganbayan said the former senator “has not presented any new or additional act, conduct, or circumstance that could be considered as clear and convincing evidence of Justice Miranda’s bias and prejudice that would warrant his recusal from hearing the instant case.”

“Justice Miranda has already shown that his Separate Opinion is based on a thorough analysis of all the evidence presented by the prosecution, and thus, it cannot be simply disregarded as evidence of bias or prejudice,” according to the Third Division’s seven-page resolution.

Third Division members Associate Justices Ronald Moreno and Fritz Bryn Anthony delos Santos concurred with the decision.