Revilla trial reset, for the 5th time, to June

THE TRIAL of former Senator Ramon “Bong” B. Revilla, Jr. for his plunder case stemming from the alleged misuse of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) has been reset, for the fifth time, to June. During yesterday’s hearing at the Sandiganbayan First Division, State lawyer Rean M. Balisi said the prosecution has yet to finish the pre-marking of Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) and requested for an additional four days to complete the task. The court canceled the trial yesterday and set the pre-marking and comparing of marked exhibits on April 21, 27, 28, May 8. It also set the preliminary conference for the defense panel on May 12. The anti-graft court also set the signing of the pre-trial brief on May 25 and scheduled the trial proper on June 1. Mr. Revilla’s trial was originally scheduled to commence in January this year. During the hearing, Associate Justice Geraldine Faith A. Econg cited the Speedy Trial Act, which states that a pre-trial should not take more than 180 days, adding that this should be the last deferment of Mr. Revilla’s trial. —