MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has issued arrest warrants and hold departure orders against former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and six officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office in connection with a P92.8-million ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan. 

The anti-graft court found probable cause to proceed with the malversation charges, which stem from allegations that public funds were released for a non-existent project.

The Sandiganbayan Third Division confirmed the release of the warrants and hold departure orders on January 19, 2026. Clerk of Court Dennis Pulma said, “There are findings of probable cause. The warrants of arrest and hold departure orders were already issued [by the court]. The electronic warrant was transmitted to the CIDG, NBI, and BI.” The Bureau of Immigration has been directed to prevent Revilla and the other accused from leaving the country while the case is ongoing.

The Office of the Ombudsman filed the charges last week, accusing Revilla and the DPWH officials of conspiring to facilitate the release of P76 million in public funds for the supposed flood control project despite its non-implementation. 

Investigators found that inspection reports and supporting documents were falsified to make it appear that the project had been carried out. The Ombudsman stressed that the case involves malversation of public funds through falsification of official documents, an offense considered non-bailable.

The other respondents include DPWH engineer Brice Hernandez and five officials from the Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office. Their cases have been raffled to the Sandiganbayan’s Third and Fourth Divisions, with the malversation charges handled by the Third Division and the graft charges by the Fourth Division.

The alleged ghost project has reignited public concern over corruption in infrastructure spending. Revilla, who previously faced plunder charges in connection with the pork barrel scam but was acquitted in 2018, now faces renewed scrutiny. 

Analysts note that the issuance of arrest warrants and hold departure orders underscores the judiciary’s resolve to pursue accountability in high-profile corruption cases.

The Sandiganbayan’s move is expected to trigger immediate enforcement actions by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). 

Revilla and the accused DPWH officials will be required to post bail if allowed, though the non-bailable nature of the charges could mean detention while trial proceeds.

This development marks a significant escalation in the government’s anti-corruption drive, particularly in infrastructure projects where ghost or non-existent initiatives have long plagued public spending.

Justice Finally Moves

The Sandiganbayan’s arrest warrants and hold departure orders mark a rare moment when accountability catches up to power. A ghost flood control project worth millions is no clerical error. It is an allegation of public money stolen while communities remained vulnerable.

Finding probable cause matters. It signals that falsified reports and vanished projects are no longer brushed aside as technical lapses. Courts are stepping in where outrage has long lived.

This is not a verdict, but it is a line drawn. When the judiciary moves this far, the public watches closely. Will this case end where many before it stalled, or finally prove that justice can reach those who once outran it?