AS action star, Bong Revilla is not one to easily forgive his enemies, seeing to it that all of them suffer and die even before the credit rolls.
Not in real life.
Revilla spent almost five years behind bars after being implicated in the P10-billion pork barrel fund scam. He gained his freedom last December after being deemed innocent by the Sandiganbayan.
If you are among those who think he is running in this year’s senate race mainly to get back at antagonists, well, think again.
Said Revilla, “Wala akong plano gumanti. Bakit pa? Oo, masakit ang nangyari sa akin pero, naniniwala ako na mas mainam ang kalimutan at ibaon sa limot ang napakalaking unos na pangyayaring ito sa aking buhay, sa buhay ng aking pamilya, at umusad na.”
The 52-year-old actor-politician went on to relate how his father, Revilla Sr., recommended the very same thing.
“Pinuntahan ko kasi siya agad, nung lumabas ako. Sabi niya patawarin ko na raw ang mga nagpakulong sa akin at ipasa-Diyos na lamang ang madilim na kabanatang ito ng aking buhay. Eh ako naman, sinunod ko and aking ama so, Diyos na ang bahala sa kanila. Tao lang ako at hindi Diyos, kaya sa Diyos na sila humingi ng tawad, dahil pinatawad ko na sila,” he said.
He looks like it, too.
Dressed in ebullient pink and looking every inch like the movie star he is, Revilla was all smiles when he faced the press.
Gone was the woeful look on his face, as seen in TV footage taken during his incarceration.
The favourite son of Cavite, self-proclaimed Agimat Ng Masa, simply smiled when told about this.
“Kung maayos man ako tignan ngayon ito ay dahil magaan ang pakiramdam ko. Masarap magpatawad at masaya ako,” he said.
He has another reason to be happy with various surveys mentioning him among top ten senate contenders.
It goes beyond that, Revilla proudly enthused, citing how he has personally seen and felt the warm welcome of Filipinos at various ports of call as part of his ongoing Pasasalamat Carvan.
“Kahit saan man ako magpunta, sa Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, napakainit ng pagtanggap sa akin na talaga namang nakakataba ng puso,” he said.
If ever elected, Revilla plans to continue hampered work, including intended legislation that would further ease life for the country’s senior citizens.
“Ang gusto ko sana babaan sa 55 mula 60 ang senior citizen para naman mas maaga nila matamasa ang mga benepisyo na para sa kanila.”
As to doing films again he said, “Kasama ‘yan sa aking plano. Sa showbiz ako nag-umpisa at malaki ang utang na loob ko sa industriya. Panigurado, sasabak uli tayo sa paggawa ng pelikula.” (NEIL RAMOS)
