Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Geraldine Faith Econg, the ponente of the 3-2 decision that acquitted former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. in his 2018 plunder case, clarified that the court’s ruling did not declare Revilla “innocent.”
In an interview with Rappler, Econg—who is also among the aspirants for the position of Ombudsman—stressed that there is a crucial distinction between a person being innocent of a crime and being acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
“So my decision had to expand the reflection that I submitted, naniniwala ako sa ebidensya, I did not say that he is innocent but I said that he could not be proven beyond reasonable doubt that he committed the crime, that is a whole lot of difference,” Econg explained.
She further emphasized that it was the prosecution’s failure to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt that led to Revilla’s acquittal.
“So I believe and I still believe that the prosecution was not able to sufficiently establish beyond reasonable doubt the omission of the crime because the evidence that was submitted to us was not enough,” she said.
The decision, issued in 2018, was heavily questioned by the public, especially since Revilla was acquitted but was still ordered to return ₱124.5 million to the national treasury.
Revilla’s involvement in the pork barrel scam, which also implicated Senator Jinggoy Estrada and former Senate President and now Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile, led to his detention for four years beginning in late 2013.
His role in the scandal is widely seen as one of the key factors behind his failed 2025 Senate re-election bid, where he placed 14th and failed to secure a seat.