Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. had an emotional reunion with his son Jolo Revilla at the Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Muntinlupa City (Metro Manila) on Tuesday.
According to Lolit Solis, talent manager of the Revillas, Jolo and his father wept when they saw each other.
She said Jolo kept saying “Sorry Papa, sorry Papa.”
“Nag-iyakan silang mag-tatay. Sabi ni Jolo, ‘Sorry Papa, sorry Papa,’ dahil parang nakadagdag siya sa mga problema nila. Si Bong naman sabi, “Sorry din, anak, sorry din, anak,” kasi siguro sa isip niya, guilty din siya [Father and son cried. Jolo said, ‘Sorry Papa, sorry Papa,’ because he must have felt that he has brought another problem to the family. Bong, on the other hand, said, ‘Sorry also, son, sorry also, son,’ because maybe in his mind, he is also guilty for what is happening to the family since he is still in prison],’ Solis told The Manila Times.
“Nakakaiyak silang panoorin na mag-ama [It was tearful to watch them],” she said.
Revilla was given a five-hour furlough by the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan to visit the Cavite vice governor, who was reported to have accidentally shot himself on Saturday.
Also in the hospital were Revilla’s wife and Rep. Lani Mercado; their children Bryan, the eldest, and Inah, who is now based in Davao; the senator’s sister Andeng Henares; and Jolo’s girlfriend, actress Jodie Santa Maria.
Solis narrated that before the senator arrived, the Revilla family was worried because Jolo spit blood.
“Tapos maya-maya humingi ng pagkain si Jolo kay Jodie. Pagkakain, nung pinupunasan na ni Jodie si Jolo, sabi ni Jolo, “Bakit ganon?
Parang malaki ang tiyan ko [Then Jolo asked for food from Jodie. After he ate, when he was being given a sponge bath by Jodie, Jolo said, ‘Why is it like this? My stomach seems to be bloated?].”
According to Jolo’s doctor, a bloated stomach is a sign that something is not right.
They, however, could not schedule a CT scan until 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. of Monday, by which time the senator would have returned to the Philippine National Police Custodial Center where he was being detained.|
Solis said Jodie left the room when the senator arrived but she was called back by Jolo.
The young Revilla was reportedly cleaning his caliber .40 Glock pistol at his parents’ home in Ayala Alabang in Muntinlupa City when the gun went off, hitting him on the right chest.
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) is investigating the incident.
Revilla is one of three senators detained at Camp Crame for plunder charges in connection with the multi-billion pork barrel scam. The other two are Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile.
WITH ANTHONY VARGAS