MANILA— The Sandiganbayan Third Division has rejected the prosecution’s request for Associate Justice Ronald Moreno to withdraw from the malversation case involving former Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. over an alleged anomalous flood control project in Bulacan.

Third Division Clerk of Court Dennis Pulma confirmed the denial, saying the motion filed by the Office of the Ombudsman lacked merit.

“The Sandiganbayan Third Division has DENIED for lack of merit the prosecution’s Motion for Voluntary Inhibition of Honorable Senior Associate Justice Ronald B. Moreno, in the case of People vs. Revilla, Jr., et al.,” Pulma said in a statement.

In a 69-page motion filed before the anti-graft court, special prosecutors questioned Moreno’s conduct during the proceedings, particularly his treatment of witnesses presented against Revilla.

“Justice Moreno’s demeanor and questions to the witnesses were apparently unfair, unreasonable, disrespectful, and lacking in judicial restraint,” the prosecutors said.

Revilla is accused of conspiring with six other respondents to facilitate the illegal disbursement of ₱76.9 million in public funds for a purported ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan, valued at ₱92.8 million. The alleged scheme supposedly involved a 25% kickback.

The other respondents are Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan First District Engineering Office personnel Brice Hernandez, Jaypee Mendoza, Arjay Domasig, Emelita Juat, Juanito Mendoza, and Christina Pineda.

Moreno previously voted to allow Revilla to post ₱1 million bail, along with Associate Justice Fritz Bryn Delos Santos. Third Division chairperson Associate Justice Karl Miranda voted against granting bail.

The division has also denied two separate motions filed by Revilla’s camp seeking Miranda’s voluntary inhibition from the case.