The Sandiganbayan 4th Division entered a not guilty plea on behalf of former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. after he declined to personally enter a plea during his arraignment in a graft case tied to an alleged ₱92.8-million flood control project anomaly in Pandi, Bulacan.

Revilla’s legal counsel, Atty. Franchesca Señga explained that court rules allow an accused to refuse to enter a plea. In such instances, the court automatically records a not guilty plea. She said the defense previously filed a motion to quash the information, questioning the legality and validity of the charge, and that they intend to pursue further legal remedies despite the motion having been denied.

The case stems from alleged irregularities in the implementation of a flood control program in Pandi involving Revilla and several officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Co-accused DPWH engineers Arjay Domasig and Juanito Mendoza entered their own not guilty pleas before the court.

Earlier in the day, the Sandiganbayan 3rd Division deferred the reading of the information in a separate malversation of public funds case against Revilla and Mendoza. Other accused individuals, however, were arraigned in the same case, which is also linked to the alleged “ghost” flood control project.

The court is expected to proceed with pre-trial and subsequent hearings as both graft and malversation cases move forward.