Published July 8, 2021, 9:31 AM
Office of the Ombudsman
The Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) will not appeal the July 1 Sandiganbayan decision that acquitted Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. of 16 graft charges involving his P224.5 million in Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).
In a statement, the OMB said: “The Office of the Ombudsman has rested its case against Revilla. The Sandiganbayan First Division voted 3-2 to grant Senator Revilla’s demurrer to evidence, and we respect its decision.”
It also said:
“Consistent with the defendant’s constitutional right against double jeopardy, Ombudsman Samuel R. Martires sets the policy of no longer challenging the dismissal of cases [or] quashal of information and judgments of acquittal, either through a motion to dismiss, a demurrer to evidence or by a decision, rendered by the trial courts or the Sandiganbayan except when the People was clearly deprived of due process or there was mistrial.”