Latest news with #Sandiganbayan
GMA Network
3 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Ruffy Biazon to appeal Sandiganbayan ruling on graft case
The team of reelected Mayor Ruffy Biazon said they will be filing a motion for reconsideration, seeking the anti-graft court to re-examine the ruling and citing his right to due process. Muntinlupa Mayor Rozzano Rufino 'Ruffy' Biazon over the weekend said he will appeal Sandiganbayan's ruling that found him, along with five other respondents including businesswoman Janet Napoles, guilty of graft in connection to the alleged misuse of the priority development assistance fund (PDAF) in 2007. In a statement issued by his spokesperson Atty. Mitchell-David Espiritu, the reelected mayor's team said they will be filing a motion for reconsideration, seeking the anti-graft court to re-examine the ruling and citing his right to due process. 'We respect the Sandiganbayan's decision as part of our justice system. However, we are surprised by the outcome, especially since Mayor Ruffy was previously acquitted of similar charges involving public funds,' Espiritu said in Filipino in a post on Biazon's official Facebook page. 'We remain hopeful that, like the earlier cases, Mayor Ruffy will ultimately be acquitted once due process has been completed. We intend to explore all legal remedies, beginning with a motion for reconsideration,' he added. Biazon, along with businesswoman Janet Napoles and former government agency Technology Resource Center (TRC) officials Dennis Cunanan, Maria Rosalinda Lacsamana, and Evelyn De Leon were sentenced to six to eight years in jail and perpetual disqualification from public office after being found guilty of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Court records showed that whistleblower Benhur Luy said Biazon received some P1.950 million through an authorized representative, and the public funds from Biazon's PDAF went to Napoles-run Philippine Social Development Foundation Inc. (PSDFI), a corporate entity that could not have been physically located at its declared address. Biazon, for his part, argued that he merely endorsed the non-government organization (MGO) to the TRC, and that his signature was forged by the whistleblower. The court meanwhile found that Biazon's endorsement functioned more as an instruction than a recommendation, and that there was no substantial evidence that he took steps to dispute or report the alleged forgery. 'Mayor Ruffy will continue to uphold the law — the same law that grants him the right to defend himself and to clear his name of these accusations,' Espiritu said. 'According to the law, Mayor Ruffy will stay in his post and fulfill the mandate entrusted to him by the people of Muntinlupa,' he added. —RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
6 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Sandiganbayan finds Ruffy Biazon guilty of graft
The Sandiganbayan has found Muntinlupa mayor and former lawmaker Ruffy Biazon guilty of graft in connection with the P10 billion pork barrel scam. As a result, the anti-graft court sentenced Biazon to six to 10 years in jail. Sandiganbayan, however, cleared Biazon of malversation raps in the same pork barrel case. Biazon, meanwhile, has said that he will appeal the ruling. 'Public service should not be derailed by noise or distraction. My commitment to Muntinlupeños stands firm—a city led with compassion, guided by vision, and focused on real solutions," Biazon said in a statement. Biazon's camp also said that the Sandiganbayan verdict does not impact his current position as mayor. "The governance will continue with the same integrity and resolve that has marked his leadership since day one. This is not the end—it's the beginning of a renewed push for deeper, more inclusive public service,' Biazon's camp said. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
26-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Bong Revilla eyeing raps vs. fake news peddlers after Eleksyon 2025 loss —lawyer
Senator Ramon 'Bong' Revilla Jr. is eyeing to file cyberlibel charges against individuals who purportedly spread fake news against him, which his camp believed was the reason for his loss in his 2025 reelection bid. Lawyer Raymond Fortun, Revilla's counsel, made the announcement in a press conference in the Senate Monday, exactly two weeks after the May 12 midterm elections. 'It is regrettable that his aspiration to continue to be of service to the country had been derailed due to the insidious work done by certain groups and individuals who had spread fake news on social media which, unfortunately, were accepted as gospel truth by the unsuspecting public,' Fortun said. 'After consulting with his family, Senator Revilla has decided to defend his and the family's reputation by exercising the legal remedies for people whose reputations are harmed through online platforms like social media, blogs, websites. It is his hope that doing so would discourage the use of anonymity or digital platforms to malign others without consequence,' he added. Fortun, who noted that the senator usually ranks high every senatorial elections, specifically mentioned false information about the Sandiganbayan ruling on the PDAF plunder case against Revilla. 'Notwithstanding such acquittals, certain individuals and groups during the run-up to the 2025 elections continued to vilify him by spreading fake posts that he had been convicted and ordered by the Sandiganbayan to return P124,500,000. This is a vicious lie, with the clear and malevolent intent to damage Senator Revilla's good name and reputation,' he said. Fortun argued that Revilla has no obligation to return the P124 million because he was acquitted in the plunder case against him. 'Kung acquitted siya, hindi po maaari na siya ay mapatawan ng civil damages dahil sinabi nga na abswelto siya eh. This is the decision itself made by the Sandiganbayan,' he said. (If he was acquitted, it cannot be that he will be meted civil damages precisely because he was acquitted.) The Sandiganbayan found businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles and Revilla's former chief of staff Richard Cambe guilty of plunder and sentenced to reclusion perpetua. The anti-graft court's decision read: "For failure of the prosecution to establish beyond reasonable doubt that accused Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr. received, directly or indirectly the rebates, commission, and kickbacks from his PDAF, the Court cannot hold him liable for the crime of Plunder. Accordingly, he is ACQUITTED." "Moreover, in view of the discussion above, and pursuant to Article 100 of the Revised Penal Code, accused are held solidarily and jointly liable to return to the National Treasury the amount of One Hundred Twenty-Four Million, Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 124.500,000.00)," it added. Coordinate with NBI According to Fortun, Revilla's camp will coordinate with the National Bureau of Investigation to identify the five to 10 individuals who spread 'malicious' posts against him, most of which were published two weeks before the May 12 polls. Fortun did not disclose the names or usernames of those who allegedly peddled fake news against Revilla. He, however, showed a screenshot of one post which supposedly altered one of Revilla's campaign speeches. Asked if they believe the misinformation and disinformation campaign against Revilla was organized, Fortun said 'it does not appear' to be organized. He then mentioned that they already discounted the possibility that the misinformation campaign was from the Duterte camp. 'Lumalabas na kung mayroon mang grupo, ngayon sasabihin ko na, walang kinalaman po yung kampo ng mga Duterte. Didiretsuhin ko na po…The camp of the former President [Rodrigo Duterte] has nothing to do with this' Fortun said. (I have to disclose now that if there is a group behind this, it is not identified with the Dutertes. The camp of former President Rodrigo Duterte has nothing to do with this.) For his reelection bid, Revilla ran under the banner of Lakas-CMD which is one of the political parties that composed the Marcos administration's Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas. 'Usually, akala natin 'yung laban ng grupo ng mga Marcos at 'yung grupo ng mga Duterte, hindi po. Lumalabas po na, it appears to be somebody else's move,' Fortun said, but refused to disclose to identify the group that he was referring to. (Usually, we thought that it would be a fight between the Marcos and Duterte camps. It appears to be somebody else's move.) In a phone interview, Revilla admitted that he was sad because he became a 'victim of fake news' and he is still adjusting with the results of the elections. Asked if he thinks that the campaign against him was orchestrated, Revilla said, 'Sa aking palagay, yes, orchestrated ito. Kung anong kulay ayoko nang alamin. Siguro, that's part of politics.' (I think yes, it was orchestrated. I don't want to know what color anymore. Maybe, that's part of politics.) 'Ang 'di maganda dito, 'yung fake news. Di naman tayo onion-skinned dahil marami na akong pinagdaanan sa public service… pero 'yung mapaniwala natin ang taumbayan sa kasinungalingan 'yun talaga ang di talaga tama,' he said. (What is not good is the fake news. I am not onion-skinned since I've gone through a lot in public service. But to influence the public via fake news is not right.) ''Di dapat palagpasin kung nangyari na ito noon, this time siguro, I will not allow it again. Kailangan mapanagot sila,' he added. (We should not let this pass. If it had happened in the past, this time, I will not allow it. They should be held responsible.) Revilla failed to continue his second term in the Senate after he landed on the 14th spot in the 2025 senatorial race. — with a report from Llanesca T. Panti/AOL/RSJ, GMA Integrated News For more Eleksyon 2025 related content and updates, visit GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2025 microsite.
GMA Network
20-05-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
Sandigabayan orders return of sequestered assets to Imelda's late brother
The Sandiganbayan has ordered the return of at least P3.5 billion worth of Philippine International Commercial Bank (PCIBank) shares, now Banco de Oro (BDO) shares, to the late Benjamin Romualdez, brother of former First Lady Imelda Marcos. The Sandiganbayan's 12-page ruling dated May 16 concerns Civil Case 0035 filed by the government against Trans Middle East Phils. Equities Inc. (TMEPEI) owner Romualdez, among others, more than three decades ago. Civil Case 0035 alleges that Romualdez forcefully acquired 6,299,177 million of PCIBank shares of stock by using his ties to his sister Imelda and his brother-in-law, then President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr., and listing his firm TMEPEI and Edilberto Narciso, Jr. as his 'dummy buyers.' The anti-graft court said the Supreme Court, in July 2022, already ruled that Sandiganbayan committed grave abuse of discretion in its January 2003 decision which declared the April 1986 Sequestration Order No. 86 0056 covering the bank shares null and void but at the same time ordered the deposit of the assets to the state-run Land Bank of the Philippines in escrow 'for the persons, natural or juridical, who shall eventually be adjudged lawfully entitled thereto.' The High Court July 2022 decision then became final and executory on October 4, 2023. 'In the [Supreme Court] Decision dated July 6, 2022 in Trans Middle East (Phil.) Equities, Inc. v. Sandiganbayan (Fifth Division), the Supreme Court specifically directed the Sandiganbayan's Executive Clerk of Court, the PCGG, and all other concerned entities to immediately release in favor of TMEPEI the subject previously sequestered assets and properties pertaining to TMEPEI,' the Sandiganbayan said. 'In view of the Supreme Court's Decision dated July 6, 2022 in Trans Middle East Phils. Equities, Inc. (TMEPEI) v. Sandiganbayan, the Sandiganbayan can no longer retain legal custody over the previously sequestered assets pertaining to TMEPEI,' it said. The PCI Bank shares are now BDO shares since the bank was merged with Equitable Bank in 1999 to form Equitable-PCI Bank, an entity which later merged with Banco de Oro (BDO) in 2007. Further, the Sandiganbayan also tasked its Executive Clerk of Court, the PCGG, and BDO, to submit their respective reports on the action taken on the matter within 15 days from receipt of the May 16, 2025 resolution. The Sandiganbayan May 2025 decision was penned by Sandiganbayan Sixth Division chairperson and Associate Justice Sarah Jane Fernandez and concurred by Associate Justices Kevin Vivero and Lord Villanueva. Benjamin Romualdez died in 2012 due to cancer. —AOL, GMA Integrated News
