Manila---The actor-turned-politician and now running senator
anew, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. on Monday said that he supports death penalty
punishment over guilty plunderers if it's the way to solve large-scale
corruption.
"Yung mga nagpa-plunder, yung nagnanakaw talaga sa
bayan, dapat kung kinakailangang hatulan ng kamatayan para matigil na yan,” he
told reporters during the Filipinos for Peace, Justice and Progress Movement’s
(FPJPM) proclamation of support Monday.
Revilla, was acquitted along with former Senators Juan Ponce
Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada, of having accusations of embezzling P224 million in
discretionary funds while they were still in their positions.
Credit Image: https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/22/18/revilla-lawyers-prepare-for-plunder-decision-day-at-sandiganbayan
With the prosecution's failure to prove that Revilla got
kickbacks from his "pork" or Priority Development Assistance Fund,
prior to the ruling of the Sandiganbayan First Division, he was cleared of the
plunder case for which he was detained for four and a half years.
He was detained at the Custodial Center of the Philippine
National Police (PNP) in Camp Crame, Quezon City from 2014 until his discharge
in December 2018.
However, he is still facing separate and ongoing pork barrel
graft cases.
Revilla was obliged to pay P124.5 million to the government
as civil liability together with his former staff Richard Cambe and
businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles, who were both convicted of plunder as insisted
by the government prosecutors.
Likewise, Enrile and Estrada's plunder cases are still ongoing.
The three former lawmakers are now seeking a Senatorial seat
in May elections after being freed from jail.
Meanwhile, Revilla also pointed out that false plunder
accusers to also get the same punishment that he mentioned.
“At dapat hatulan din, kumbaga, kasuhan din ng kamatayan
yung mga taong false accuser. Kasi masama din yung nagbibintang ka rin ng hindi
totoo,” Revilla said.
He also expressed his sorrow of how he was falsely accused
of plunder.
“Papano naman yung mga katulad ko? Nahatulan ako na not
guilty so papano naman yung nangyari sa buhay ko? Gaano katagal ako kinulong?
Winasak ang buhay ng pamilya ko.”
He also said earlier on his campaign sortie in Bataan that
his political enemies, without mentioning their names, took away “10 percent” of
his life.
Revilla said that he has "forgiven" his political
enemies the moment he was out of jail.
Nung nakalabas ako, tinanong ko sa aking ama, sabi ko,
‘Daddy ano ba ang masasabi niyo sa mga taong nang-api sa atin, sa mga taong
nanggipit sa atin?’ Ang sabi ng aking ama, ‘Anak, patawarin mo na sila,’”
Revilla told in his speech in the sortie of the administration coalition
Hugpong ng Pagbabago in Mariveles, Bataan.
"Patawarin na natin sila, pero huwag na nilang uulitin,
dahil kapag inulit pa nila yung ganon, mga ‘anak ng teteng’ sila,” he added.
Revilla is currently running for senator under Davao City
Mayor Sara Duterte coalition, the Carpio’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago party.
