MANILA, Philippines — In a startling revelation during the ongoing graft trial of Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., an agent from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) testified on Tuesday that a multi-million peso “ghost project” supposedly reached near-completion in a timeframe that defies the laws of construction.
NBI Special Agent Jonathan Arevalo told the Sandiganbayan First Division that his team’s investigation into a ₱10-million livelihood project in 2011 revealed a physical accomplishment report claiming the work was 95 percent complete just 21 days after the funds were released.
The project in question involved the distribution of agricultural kits and livelihood materials to various municipalities, funded through the senator’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). According to Arevalo, the rapid-fire timeline is one of the “smoking guns” suggesting the project never actually took place.
“Based on the documents provided by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the implementing agency, the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) was issued on a specific date, and less than a month later, an accomplishment report was signed claiming nearly total completion,” Arevalo testified. “In the world of government procurement and logistical distribution, this is highly irregular, if not impossible.”
The NBI agent’s testimony focused on the alleged “paper trail” created to justify the disbursement of public funds. Investigators found that several of the supposed beneficiaries—local farmers and cooperatives—denied ever receiving the kits. Some of the signatures on the acknowledgment receipts were found to be forged or belonged to individuals who had already passed away at the time of the “distribution.”
“We went to the ground. We talked to the people on the list,” Arevalo added. “The consensus was clear: the project was a ‘ghost.’ No kits were delivered, no training was conducted, yet the money was fully liquidated.”
Senator Revilla’s legal team was quick to challenge the agent’s findings during cross-examination. Lead counsel Estelito Mendoza argued that the NBI’s investigation relied too heavily on “hearsay” and that the agent could not personally verify every single delivery made across multiple provinces.
The defense maintains that Revilla’s role was merely recommendatory and that the responsibility for the actual implementation and verification of the projects lay with the government agencies and the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) involved.
The Sandiganbayan has directed the NBI to provide the original copies of the field interview reports and the forensic analysis of the questioned signatures. As the trial moves forward, the “95% in 21 days” claim remains a central pillar of the prosecution’s argument that the PDAF funds were siphoned off through fabricated projects.
Senator Revilla, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing, remained composed throughout the proceedings. The case continues to be one of the most high-profile anti-graft litigations in recent Philippine history.