Sandiganbayan junks amended plunder raps vs Bong Revilla.

Byline: Marc Jayson Cayabyab

MANILA -- The Sandiganbayan first division denied the motion of the special prosecutor for the court to admit the amended information on the plunder charge against Senator Ramon Revilla Jr.

This after the Office of the Special Prosecutor admitted on Thursday that their plunder charge against Revilla can stand without amending the charge sheet.

In the amended information, the special prosecutor under the Ombudsman wants to amend the information to say alleged mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles and her cohorts are "private individuals" who collaborated with the senators in amassing ill-gotten wealth.

They also would like to delete the phrase in the case that states: "enabling Napoles to misappropriate the Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) proceeds for her personal gain."

The prosecutor said they amended the case information "to emphasize that the senator was the one who amassed, accumulated and acquired ill-gotten wealth in connivance or in conspiracy with his co-accused public officer and private individuals."

"The prosecutors deemed it wise to amend them to minimize, if not obviate, objections therein by certain accused which may cause undue delay in the proceedings."