VOTING 3-2, the Sandiganbayan acquitted former senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla of plunder charges in relation to his supposed involvement in the multi-billion Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam.
The three Sandiganbayan justices who voted yes to the acquittal of Revilla during the promulgation of his case Thursday, December 7, are Associate Justices Geraldine Econg, Edgardo Caldona, and Georgina Hidalgo.
The two who disagreed to the majority are Associate Justices Efren dela Cruz and Maria Teresa Gomez-Estoesa.
The Sandiganbayan, meanwhile, found Revilla’s co-accused Richard Cambe, his former chief of staff and pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles guilty of the same charges.
The two were sentenced to suffer reclusion perpetua or a maximum of 40 years imprisonment and were barred from holding public office.
Revilla was accused of pocketing P224 million in kickbacks from bogus projects with the aid of Napoles.
He has been detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame since June 2014.
Revilla is still facing graft charges, also in relation to the pork barrel scam. (SunStar Philippines)