‘Kap amazing’ acquittal
BEFORE he was incarcerated for plunder, former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. used to host a TV show over GMA 7 entitled “Kap Amazing Stories,” which featured extraordinary human beings, animals and nature. He also had a sitcom entitled “Idol ko si Kap,” which gave him the popular moniker Kap. Bong, son of former senator Ramon Sr., also produced action movies, following his father’s footsteps along the line of the “agimat (amulet) king.”
Being in the entertainment industry, it was easy for Bong to win the senatorial elections because of his popularity. His political career was smooth-sailing until he was involved in a multimillion pork barrel scam together with other legislators in the Senate and the House of Representatives with pork barrel scam queen, Janet Lim Napoles, as their common conduit.
“Pork barrel” refers to the practice of appropriating public funds for local projects through congressional appropriation. The practice was abolished following allegations that it was a source of graft and corruption.
There were several Cebuano legislators who were also involved in that scam using their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), but their cases have never been proven or were not further investigated for political reason. Most of them were allied with the Aquino administration, that is why they escaped criminal prosecution. In the Senate, only Revilla, Juan Ponce Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada were charged with plunder before the Sandiganbayan. Enrile and Estrada were allowed to post bail.
According to Section 2 of Republic Act 7080, plunder is committed when a public official who, by himself or in connivance with members of his family, relatives by affinity or consanguinity, business associates, subordinates or other persons, amasses, accumulates or acquires ill-gotten wealth through a combination or series of overt or criminal acts as described in Section 1 (d) in the aggregate amount or total value of at least P50 million. In addition, any person who participated with the said public official in the commission of plunder shall likewise be punished.
In a vote of 3-2, the Sandiganbayan first division acquitted Revilla, but convicted Napoles and the former’s chief of staff lawyer Richard Cambe. They were sentenced to life imprisonment. The anti-graft office said the prosecution failed to present and establish evidence that Bong received rebates, kickbacks and commissions from his pork barrel, which amounted to P517 million given to Napoles’ bogus and fake foundations and nongovernment organizations (NGOs).
The court said if there were letters of endorsements signed by Bong, his signatures were forged. Two of Napoles’s staff testified and pinpointed to their former colleagues and whistleblower, Benhur Luy, as the person who forged Revilla’s signatures. Luy, a relative and former staff of Napoles, exposed the latter’s scam. Following his expose, Luy claimed he was ordered abducted by Napoles and charged her for with kidnapping and serious illegal detention. Napoles was convicted.
Why do I call this “amazing acquittal?” Because I cannot believe that Bong is innocent of the crime. It’s okay if the amount involved was only a few thousand pesos. But it’s half a billion pesos. Don’t tell me that Bong did not account for the pork barrel funds he received. His alleged kickbacks amounted to P224 million. He was not able to explain his bank deposits in a span of a few months. He did not win the lotto jackpot. nest – more than double my current pay grade and with perks that included international travels and allowances. As a former-aspiring Diplomat, the thrill of the adventure visited me yet again.
I sat in my swivel chair until 7pm, pondering on what I should do – “Finally! A break, an opportunity to reach my maximum potential, to see the world, to improve my skills and make a greater impact!”.
For a long time, I stared at my modest work space and saw the Tourism Center plan pinned in my corner’s cork board – in the next three years the controversial and most lobbied structure will rise, the tourism, culture, and arts affairs team will be housed therein, a mini-children’s playground will be placed on its side, and ultimately, the town will see the many better changes that it deserves.
Then, the detailed vision zoomed to the entrance door, as if to search for the happy characters in the office – I saw my son, Vash, already a Grade 2 student, finding his way from BSU elementary school (only a stone throw away from the town hall) to my humble desk and gave me a hug. What a blissful sight.
Then, the vision blurred, showing a dejected man in the streets of Yereven, half a world from the family that has already forgotten him. The romantic backdrop of the iced-capped mountains in the yellow city, cannot conceal the misery of the character in his own colorful adventure. I woke up, opened my damped eyes and let out a sigh.