MANILA, Philippines — Cavite First District Representative Jolo Revilla has broken his silence regarding the recent arrest and detention of his father, former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., calling the surrender a “deliberate step” to address the allegations head-on.
In a statement released on Tuesday, January 20, the younger Revilla emphasized that his father’s decision to voluntarily submit himself to authorities was not an act of avoidance, but rather an affirmation of his faith in the Philippine legal system.
“Hindi ito pag-iwas, kundi pagharap (This is not avoiding, but facing),” Jolo said. “He believes that the proper place to resolve these issues is inside the courtroom, where facts matter and the law speaks louder than speculation.”
A “Difficult Moment” The former senator surrendered on Monday night following an arrest warrant issued by the Sandiganbayan in connection with a P92.8-million “ghost” flood control project in Bulacan. Bong Revilla faces charges of graft and malversation of public funds through the falsification of documents.
Jolo admitted that while this is a “difficult moment” for the Revilla family, he recognizes the necessity of accountability. However, he made an impassioned plea for fairness in both legal proceedings and public opinion.
“We respectfully call for fairness — fair treatment under the law, fair judgment based on evidence, and fairness in public discourse that refrains from trial by publicity,” the congressman added.
No Special Treatment Bong Revilla has since been processed and detained at the Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory in Payatas. Jail authorities have been clear that the former senator will not receive VIP treatment and will share a standard 47-square-meter cell with seven other inmates.
Although the elder Revilla was able to post a P90,000 bail for the graft case, he remains in custody because the malversation charge is non-bailable.
As the legal battle begins, Jolo Revilla expressed gratitude to their supporters and called for the justice system to work “without pressure, noise, or premature conclusions.” The Revilla family maintains that “the truth will ultimately prevail” as the case moves toward arraignment on January 23.