Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla said on Saturday, Aug. 1, that the Sandiganbayan’s decision granting bail to former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. in his pending malversation case involving the alleged anomalous P92.8-million flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan was “part of the battle” and an outcome the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) had anticipated.

“Hinihintay ng tao kung ano'ng reaction ko sa bail. Well, it’s just part of the battle. Alam mo, we are fighting a big war, it’s just one battle (People have been waiting for my reaction to the bail. Well, it’s just part of the battle. You know, we are fighting a big war; this is just one battle),” he said in his radio program at DZRH.

“We can afford to lose a battle. We lost this battle. We predicted this to happen… I was mentioning this in one of our lunches na mangyayari ‘yan (this will happen). Mayroon talagang mangyayari na mukhang tinatrabaho, na magkakaroon ng grant of bail (There were indeed indications that things were being worked on that would result in the grant of bail),” he added.

Remulla said the decision in that particular battle may have been different, but maintained that the OMB and advocates of reform believe corruption can only be addressed through a whole-of-government approach.

“Kami sa Ombudsman, we raise the standard of reasonable certainty of conviction before we file a case. Tinaas na namin ang standard. Hindi ito weaponized. Evidence-based (At the Office of the Ombudsman, we have raised the standard of reasonable certainty of conviction before we file a case. We have raised that standard. This is not weaponized. It is evidence-based),” he went on.

He said the OMB cannot wage the fight against corruption alone, noting that the judiciary plays an equally important role. 

According to Remulla, he would soon seek a dialogue with the Supreme Court (SC) and would contact his classmate after the program to set up a meeting.

“I want to talk with the Chief Justice [Alexander Gesmundo] who’ll be retiring in November so his legacy will be okay, will be good. It takes a whole-of-government approach to solve this. Ang kalahati ng proseso ang judiciary (The judiciary is half of the process),” he said.

In a resolution penned by Associate Justice Fritz Bryn Anthony M. Delos Santos, the anti-graft court’s Third Division on July 31 granted bail to Revilla but denied the bail applications of his co-accused, all officials of the DPWH Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office (DEO).

On the same day, Revilla posted the P1-million cash bail required by the anti-graft court.

Prior to posting bail, the former senator was detained at the New Quezon City Jail in Barangay Payatas.