Senator Bong Revillas arrest and detention for plunder

After triggering a massive protest and the scrapping of lawmakers' discretionary funds last year,
the alleged pork barrel scam has now reached the courts.
More than a year after the scandal broke out, criminal cases were filed against personalities
accused of involvement in the anomaly, including alleged mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles,
Senators Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., Jinggoy Estrada, and Juan Ponce Enrile.
Last June 20, Revilla became the first senator to be arrested and detained for plunder and graft
charges related to the massive fraud.
Revilla was first elected as senator in 2004 and is currently on his second and last term. In the
2010 polls, he topped the list of candidates elected to the Senate. He is being eyed by the
opposition Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) as presidential candidate in the
2016 elections. Below is a timeline of court proceedings on the pork barrel cases against Revilla.
September 16, 2013
The National Bureau of Investigation files plunder complaints against Napoles, Revilla, Estrada
and Enrile, as well as two former members of the House of Representatives, in connection with
the alleged pork barrel scam.
April 1, 2014
The Office of the Ombudsman announces its decision to indict Napoles and the three
senators with plunder and graft in connection with the alleged pork barrel scam.
June 5, 2014
The Office of the Ombudsman denies the motion for reconsideration filed by the three senators
and Napoles, and decides to push ahead with the filing of plunder and graft charges against
them after concluding that their appeals were "rehashes of the arguments previously raised by
them."
June 6, 2014
The Ombudsman formally files plunder charges against Napoles and the three senators before
the Sandiganbayan.
June 9, 2014
The Ombudsman files graft charges against Napoles and the three senators. Revilla is facing 16
counts of graft in the pork barrel scam.
June 13, 2014
The Sandiganbayan determines which divisions will handle the criminal charges filed against the
three senators. Revilla's cases went to the first division, headed by Associate Justice Efren dela
Cruz.
June 17, 2014
The Sandiganbayan issues a hold departure order against Revilla, Enrile and Napoles.
June 19, 2014
(past 10 a.m.) - The Sandiganbayan First Division junks Revilla's petition to suspend court
proceedings on his plunder and graft cases. Revilla's lawyers earlier argued that proceedings

should be halted since the Ombudsman's request for two special panels to hear the case has not
yet been decided on by the Supreme Court.
(past 4 p.m.) - The Sandiganbayan First Division orders the issuance of arrest warrants against
Revilla, Napoles and 31 of their co-accused. The arrest warrant on Revilla was not served within
the day because Justice dela Cruz was not able to sign the document.
June 20, 2014
(past 8 a.m.) - The Sandiganbayan First Division issues arrest warrants against Revilla and 32 of
his co-accused.
(past 10 a.m.) - Revilla arrives at the Sandiganbayan to surrender to authorities.
(past 11 a.m.) - Revilla files a motion asking the Sandiganbayan to allow him to post bail for
plunder. He also asked the anti-graft court to detain him at Camp Crame, which was granted.
(around 1 p.m.) - Revilla proceeds to the Philippine National Police (PNP) multipurpose hall
inside Camp Crame for a medical examination and booking procedures. His mug shots are also
taken. PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac said an initial medical
check of Revilla indicated he was "normal except for slightly high blood pressure."
(shortly before 3 p.m.) - Revilla is detained at Unit One of the PNP Custodial Center. His family
members were allowed to pay him a visit.
(past 4 p.m.) - Cavite Rep. Lani Mercado, Senator Revilla's wife, says the heat at the custodial
center has given him a headache. His lawyer Joel Bodegon describes Revilla's quarters as
"napakainit" but says the senator is all right aside from the migraine.

Garlic prices keep rising in NCR markets, some vendors stop selling
Despite the intervention of the Department of Agriculture, prices of garlic continued to go up in
some markets in Metro Manila.
In Mandaluyong City, garlic was sold at up to P300 per kilo at the Kalentong Market as of
Thursday morning, radio dzBB's Glen Juego reported.
Some vendors even sold garlic at P10 apiece while others stopped selling as they claimed there
were very few buyers, the report added.
Before Thursday, garlic from Pangasinan had been sold at the Kalentong market for about P230
per kilo.
On Monday, the Department of Agriculture said it will roll out on Tuesday locally produced garlic
to counter the spike in prices of the commodity since late last week.
DA OIC Assistant Secretary Leandro Gazmin said the garlic from accredited cooperatives will be
sold in Metro Manila public markets.
Since last week, prices of garlic shot up to as high as P280 per kilo, according to a report on "24
Oras."

In his statement, Gazmin said the price spike "could be the handiwork of unscrupulous traders
who want to create an artificial shortage."
"We assure you that the Department is addressing the matter," he added.
He said the DA coordinated with garlic producers cooperatives in Ilocos, Mindoro, Nueva Vizcaya,
and Batanes to field 50 trucks to sell 435,000 kilograms of locally produced garlic to supply the
market.

Fair Debt Collection Practices Act

At one time it was legal for debt collectors to hound you into paying debts. However, after the
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) was passed, consumers are much more protected from
these practices.
Prohibited Practices
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) prohibits collection agencies from using
unfair, deceptive or abusive practices. Specific collection practices that are illegal include:

Harass you or use oppressive practices. Debt collectors threaten to harm or use violence,
publish a list of consumers who refuse to pay their debts, use obscenity or profanity, make
contacts with the consumer's employer, make annoying telephone calls or try to contact
you at inconvenient times

Make false statements. Debt collectors can't use false or misleading statements about
you or to you in order to try to get you pay your debt

Threaten arrest. State that a lawsuit will be filed against you when they don't intend to or
can't take such action

Give false information. Report incorrect data to anyone, including a credit bureau or use
anything that looks like an official government or court document when it isn't official

Use unfair practices. Debt collectors can't force you to pay more than you owe, deposit a
post-dated check prematurely, use deception to make you pay for collect calls or
telegrams in any way other than by legal means

Seize or threaten property. State that they'll seize, garnish or attach your property or
wages (unless it is authorized by law to do so) to obtain payment

Debt Collectors
Who can be defined as a debt collector? The FDCPA doesn't apply to some creditors or
government agencies who are legitimately trying to collect debts. The law does apply to creditors
who:

Are debt collection agencies

Use false name or falsely represent that they are a collection agency
Creditors who collect debts for other collection agencies
Collection attorneys
Companies or people who purchase delinquent debts
Repossession companies

Suppliers or designers of fake form that state they're a debt collection agency
Your Rights under the FDCPA

The FDCPA provides the following rights:

A written notice telling you the amount of the debt, the name of the creditor and the
actions you can take if you believe you don't own the debt.

In reaction to the dispute letter, the collector can't contact you. However, collection
activities can start up if you receive proof of the existing debt.

If you give a debt collector money to make a payment on a specific debt, them money
must be applied to the debt as you instructed. A debt collector can't apply your payment
to a debt you believe you do not owe.

Contact your state's Attorney General if you feel a debt collector is violating the law. If you feel
it's gone past that point, you can file a complaint to the Federal Trade Commision. You can also
consult an attorney about filing a lawsuit. Criminal or civil penalties on the collector can result
from violations.