The Sandiganbayan Third Division has granted former senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. a ₱1-million bail in connection with a malversation case involving an alleged ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan worth ₱92.8 million, court records show.
Court Grants Bail to Revilla, Denies Six Co-Accused
The anti-graft court issued the ruling allowing Revilla to post bail while the case proceeds, according to court records reviewed as of Friday, July 31, 2026. However, six of Revilla's co-accused in the same case were denied bail, the Sandiganbayan confirmed.
The case centers on allegations that public funds amounting to ₱92.8 million were disbursed for a flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan that was never actually constructed — a so-called ghost project.
Malversation Charges Tied to Pandi Flood Control Project
The charge of malversation of public funds is among the most serious offenses tried before the Sandiganbayan, which has exclusive jurisdiction over cases involving public officials and large sums of government money. The ₱92.8-million figure represents the alleged total amount misappropriated in connection with the Pandi infrastructure project.
Revilla, a former senator and actor, has previously faced high-profile legal battles before the anti-graft court, most notably in the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel scam cases, where he was ultimately acquitted.
Six Co-Accused Remain in Detention Without Bail
While the court extended bail to Revilla, the Sandiganbayan denied the same relief to six individuals charged alongside him in the Pandi case, court records show. The court's differential treatment indicates that the justices found sufficient evidence of guilt — a standard required under Philippine law to deny bail in capital offenses — against those six respondents, but not against Revilla at this stage of the proceedings.
By the Numbers
- ₱92.8 million — total amount allegedly malversed in the ghost Pandi flood control project
- ₱1 million — bail amount granted by the Sandiganbayan to Bong Revilla Jr.
- 6 — number of co-accused denied bail by the Sandiganbayan Third Division
Why This Matters
The Sandiganbayan's decision to grant Revilla bail while denying it to six co-accused signals a significant divergence in the court's assessment of evidence at this stage of the ₱92.8-million malversation case. The ruling means Revilla will face trial outside detention, while the ghost project allegations — involving public infrastructure funds that allegedly produced no actual flood control works — continue to move through the anti-graft court system. The outcome of this case carries implications for accountability over large-scale public works expenditures at the local government level.
Photo credit: Photo from Sandiganbayan/Official Records