The Office of the Ombudsman has formally requested Associate Justice Ronald Moreno to inhibit himself from further participating in the pending malversation case against former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. before the Sandiganbayan Third Division.
The Ombudsman’s Office of the Special Prosecutor filed the motion for inhibition on Monday, with a member of the prosecutorial team confirming the legal move on Tuesday.
The motion stems from Moreno’s participation in the anti-graft court’s recent ruling to grant Revilla’s petition for provisional liberty. The Third Division voted 2-1 in favor of granting bail, setting the amount at P1 million. Associate Justice Fritz Bryn Delos Santos joined Moreno in voting to allow bail, while Associate Justice Karl Miranda, who chairs the Third Division, dissented and voted to deny the petition.
Following Moreno’s vote in favor of Revilla’s release, prosecutors are seeking his disqualification from sitting on the panel for the remainder of the proceedings.
The case involves charges of malversation of public funds concerning the alleged illegal disbursement of P76.9 million intended for a supposed P92.8-million “ghost” flood-control project in Pandi, Bulacan.
State prosecutors allege that Revilla conspired with other individuals in the release of the public funds in exchange for a 25-percent kickback from the project’s total cost.
Revilla has consistently denied all charges, maintaining his innocence throughout the trial.