MANILA, Philippines - Detained Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr.’s 90-day suspension is on hold as the Sandiganbayan order has not reached the Senate more than two months after it was handed down.
Senate Secretary Oscar Yabes told The STAR the suspension must be served after the Office of the Senate President has been furnished with an official copy of the order.
“As far as my office is concerned, we have not received any order from the Sandiganbayan,” he said.
“We don’t know what happened to the order… It must be on its way.”
As a consequence, the Senate leadership has put on hold a directive to finance officers to freeze the operational funds of Revilla’s office.
“Without the suspension, we have no reason to prevent Senator Revilla from disposing his office’s funds,” a source said.
Each senator’s office is allocated about P2 million a month for operational expenses.
A check with the Office of the Senate President showed that the suspension order against Revilla has not been served.
However, Sandiganbayan personnel said the notice of suspension and copy of the decision suspending Revilla had already been served to the Senate.
First Division staff members, who asked not to be identified for lack of authority to talk, said copies of resolutions and orders are sent to parties through personal service.
However, they cannot point to a particular date of receipt at the Senate because official service records are kept in the justices’ chambers.
Government prosecutors said the suspension order is already final and executory.
Informed sources suspect that the delivery of the official order could have been deliberately delayed to allow Revilla continued access to his budget.
However, Joel Bodegon, Revilla’s lead counsel, said his client started serving the suspension on Sept. 25. “We did not appeal,” he said. “Senator Bong is serving his suspension.”
The First Division had issued the preventive suspension against Revilla and his co-accused and former chief of staff Richard Cambe on Aug. 4.
An appeal was reportedly denied on Sept. 25, sources said.
First Division chairman Efren de la Cruz and Associate Justices Rodolfo Ponferrada and Rafael Lagos directed Senate President Franklin Drilon to implement the suspension.
Senate takes over funds
Drilon said the Senate needs to take over the funds of Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile during their 90-day suspension.
“Otherwise, the rules will apply, that they can get (cash) advances,” he said.
Drilon said a memorandum must be issued for finance officers to have guidelines on how to use the funds that have been estimated to reach about P18 million.
“There has to be rules for that,” he said. “That’s why there is that memorandum.”
Yabes said the memorandum was issued to guide Senate accounting and finance personnel.
“Their operating expenses that require direct payments such as rental of offices, these are paid (by the Senate),” he said.
“Other forms of cash advance for liquidation, they are not allowed.”
Their staff shall continue to receive their salaries because they continue to report for work under his supervision, Yabes said. – With Michael Punongbayan