Revilla allowed limited access to Luy’s files

MANILA, Philippines - The Sandiganbayan has allowed Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. to get limited access to pork barrel scam whistle-blower Benhur Luy’s files contained in his external computer hard drive.

In a decision issued yesterday, the anti-graft court’s First Division ruled in favor of the prosecution’s argument that the accused cannot be allowed to copy all of the contents of the storage device.

Associate Justices Efren de la Cruz, Rodolfo Ponferrada, and Rafael Lagos agreed with Ombudsman lawyers that Revilla should only be allowed access to parts that have something to do with his plunder case.

The prosecution earlier opposed the request of defense lawyers to copy the full contents of the external computer hard drive since the device has other evidence against other individuals who are yet to be charged or are subject of ongoing investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Office of the Ombudsman.

Revilla’s lawyers and those representing his former chief of staff Richard Cambe as well as alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles, however, insisted that they be granted full access considering that the storage device was presented in court.

The Sandiganbayan, after weighing the arguments of both sides, ruled in favor of the prosecution.