Bong wants Luy cited for contempt

MANILA, Philippines - Detained Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. has asked the Sandiganbayan to cite pork barrel scam whistle-blower Benhur Luy for contempt for his alleged refusal to allow the defense to copy documents in his hard drive despite an order from the anti-graft court.

Joel Bodegon, lawyer for Revilla, said National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agent Joey Narciso and ombudsman lead prosecutor Jefferson Toribio should also be held responsible for obstruction of justice.

The senator’s camp accused Luy and the prosecution of having a “conscious, deliberate and purposive intent to obstruct his rights to a fair trial.”

Bodegon said that during the hearing on Revilla’s petition for bail on Aug. 28, the anti-graft court ordered Narciso and ombudsman lawyers to allow the defense to copy Luy’s hard drive, which supposedly contains records and evidence in the pork barrel fund scam.

The Sandiganbayan First Division is chaired by Associate Justice Efren de la Cruz.

Bodegon said Toribio and Narciso, who took the witness stand for the prosecution, did not object to their request to copy the contents of the hard drive during the hearing.

But when lawyer Maika Tolentino went to the NBI to copy the contents of Luy’s device, Narciso allegedly refused.

Bodegon noted that since the hard drive has been presented as evidence against Revilla, his former chief of staff Richard Cambe and alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles before the Sandiganbayan, the device is now under jurisdiction of the anti-graft court.

‘Affirm Bong suspension’

With Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada now officially suspended from public office, ombudsman lawyers yesterday asked the Sandiganbayan to affirm Revilla’s suspension.

Government prosecutors said the anti-graft court’s First Division should deny the motion for reconsideration filed by Revilla seeking to reverse its July 31 decision suspending him for 90 days.

In his appeal, the senator said his suspension was premature considering that the validity of the criminal complaint filed against him in relation to the pork barrel scam has not been resolved with finality.

“We do not agree with accused-movant’s contentions,” ombudsman lawyers said.

The prosecution noted that the Sandiganbayan is mandated to suspend public officials charged with plunder.

Like Enrile and Estrada, Revilla is facing plunder raps for allegedly receiving kickbacks through a scheme masterminded by Napoles.

Earlier, Senate President Franklin Drilon implemented the suspension orders against Enrile and Estrada after the Sandiganbayan Third and Fifth Divisions junked their appeals with finality.

Lawyer Jessica “Gigi” Reyes, Enrile’s former chief of staff, is expected to be arraigned on graft charges tomorrow.

Anacleto Diaz, counsel for Reyes, told The STAR yesterday they will no longer file a motion for reconsideration on the anti-graft court’s decision allowing amendments to the complaint. – With Edu Punay