Gov't wants to seize Bong's 'ill-gotten' wealth

MANILA, Philippines — Government prosecutors on Monday sought the issuance of a garnishment order to confiscate assets of detained Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. believed to be ill-gotten.

In an ex parte motion to the Sandiganbayan First Division, the panel of prosecutors from the Office of the Ombudsman argued that there is apparent evidence that much of Revilla's wealth amounting to P224 million was earned from kickbacks from government projects.

The prosecutors argued that amid the charge of plunder against Revilla in connection with the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam, his "ill-gotten" money, shares and properties are subject to judicial custody amid the accused's plunder charge.

Revilla is among the three senators accused of pocketing allocations from the Priority Development Assistance Funds through fraudulent organizations of businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles.

Earlier this month, the Anti-Money Laundering Council said in a testimony before the anti-graft court that at least P87.6 million of Revilla's wealth is unexplained.

READ: AMLC bares Bong's P87-M 'unexplained wealth'

AMLC said the deposits were made between April 2006 and April 2010, matching the dates specified in the testimonies of whistleblowers, who are former agents of alleged scam mastermind Napoles. - Camille Diola