The Sandiganbayan has denied former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.’s request for a temporary release from detention to attend the wake of his brother, according to a report by BusinessWorld. In a three-page resolution promulgated on June 26, the anti-graft court ruled that no law grants a detained accused the right to a furlough and that the circumstances presented do not justify an exception.
Revilla is currently detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame, facing plunder charges over the alleged misuse of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). The former senator had sought temporary release to attend the wake of his brother, but the court found no legal basis to grant such a privilege.
The resolution, penned by Associate Justice Maria Theresa Mendoza-Arcega and concurred in by the other members of the First Division, emphasized that furloughs are not a statutory right and that compelling reasons, such as humanitarian grounds, must be clearly established. The court determined that the request did not meet the threshold for an exception.