Detained Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. brushed off yesterday as
“premature” a bid by government lawyers to garnish his
multi-million-peso assets through a writ of preliminary attachment.
Revilla said the motion of the Ombudsman asking the Sandiganbayan to
issue a writ of preliminary attachment against his assets is a diversion
to the dismal performance of an Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC)
witness last week.
A writ of preliminary attachment functions like a freeze order that
would prevent an accused from disposing of or hiding his wealth, which
the state seeks to recover for allegedly being ill-gotten.
In a motion filed before the anti-graft court’s First Division
yesterday, prosecutors said a notice of garnishment covering cash and
properties totaling P224.5 million would preserve the assets while the
accused is on trial. The assets include multiple bank accounts, real
properties, shares of stocks as well as vehicles.
Revilla had maintained that he can defend all the transactions in his
bank account as examined by the AMLC, but questioned the motion seeking
to have his assets attached as the court has yet to rule on his
petition for bail.
“I have not been proven guilty by the Sandiganbayan and yet the
lawyers of the Ombudsman are now moving heaven and earth to garnish my
assets,” Revilla said in a statement issued from his detention cell at
the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters at Camp Crame, Quezon
City.
