MANILA, Philippines — Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro dismissed insinuations that former senator Bong Revilla was granted temporary freedom because he is an ally of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the state prosecutors failed to build a strong case against Revilla.
Castro on Monday said the President had "no hand" in the court’s decision allowing Revilla to post bail on Friday.
"First of all, that decision is with the judiciary and not with the President. We know the separation of powers [between the executive and judiciary branches of government]," Castro said in Filipino during a press briefing.
She noted that Revilla was the first one charged with plunder in connection to his alleged involvement in the flood control fund scandal.
"So, there's no logic. It doesn’t follow that he will be the first one to be freed [temporarily]. If that is the case, he should not have been charged at all," Castro said.
She also said that Revilla's provisional liberty does not mean that the Office of the Ombudsman and the state prosecutors did not work hard enough to prosecute the former senator.
"It doesn't end here because this is simply a petition for bail," Castro added.
She said Revilla may have acquired some "edge" in obtaining temporary liberty. "But according to the Office of the Ombudsman they have strong evidence [against him]. So, let us allow the state prosecutors to do their job."
