WATCH: Former Senator Bong Revilla thanks his supporters, moments after he was released from the custodial center of the PNP on Friday. He was earlier acquitted of his plunder case on the pork barrel scam. @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/a2DJ5GnAQ9
— Cathrine Gonzales (@cgonzalesINQ) December 7, 2018
“God is good. God is good.”
After over four years of being detained, former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. uttered these words of relief, moments after he was released from the Custodial Center of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday.
Revilla was wearing a navy blue long sleeve shirt and wore a smile of victory after finally stepping out of the gates of the facility he first entered on June 20, 2014.
READ: Revilla freed from Camp Crame detention
The Sandiganbayan acquitted Revilla of plunder in relation with the P10-billion pork barrel scam.
He was accused of channeling P224 million from his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to bogus non-government organizations of Janet-Lim Napoles, the convicted scam mastermind.
READ: Bong Revilla acquitted of plunder
‘Truth prevailed’
For Revilla, his acquittal showed he was telling the truth when he claimed he was not involved in the anomaly.
In the past, he was quoted as saying that the “controversy has been engineered by the [Aquino] administration” only to “demolish the opposition.”
“After four years and almost six months, finally makakalabas na rin ako at lumabas na ‘yung katotohanan,” he told reporters right after being released.
(After four years and almost six months, finally I can be released and the truth has prevailed.)
‘Justice still exists’
Revilla said his acquittal proves that justice still exists in the country, as he also thanked his supporters whom he said prayed for a favorable decision on his promulgation.
“Ako po ay nagpapasalamat sa ating mga kababayan na patuloy na nagdadasal sa akin. Sa inyo pong lahat maraming marami pong salamat,” he said.
(I thank all of our countrymen who are continuously praying for me. To all of you, thank you very much.)
Before leaving the Custodial Center, Revilla waved at his supporters, who wore t-shirts expressing support for the former senator.
“Mabuhay po kayong lahat (Long live, all of you),” Revilla said. /jpv
