Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. INQUIRER.net file photo / CATHY MIRANDA
MANILA, Philippines—Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. lamented Thursday that he could have faced death because of politics.
This is why Revilla has been pushing for the inclusion in the proposed restoration of death penalty the imposition of the capital punishment also against people who falsely accuse others of plunder.
On Thursday, the senator reiterated his support for the restoration of the death penalty for heinous crimes related to drugs as well as plunder .
Revilla himself had been detained and charged with plunder over his alleged involvement in the so-called pork barrel scam. But in December 2018, the Sandiganbayan acquitted him of plunder.
READ: Revilla acquitted; Napoles, Cambe convicted of plunder charges
“I am not affected by this proposal dahil acquitted ako, not guilty. Napatunayang ginipit lang ako,” he said in a statement.
“Pero sa pinagdaanan ko na inakusahan ng mali at inabswelto at pinawalang-sala, dapat may kaakibat na parusa sa mga nanggipit at nang-api.”
“I could have faced death just because of politics,” Revilla added. “Kung ginawa ito sa akin, dapat siguruhin na hindi na ito magagawa sa iba.”
Thus, he said, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go need not have to seek his support for his bill, seeking the reimposition of the death penalty, since he has been supportive of it from the start.
Go reportedly said that he would ask Revilla to support his measure.
READ: Go files bill restoring death penalty for heinous crimes
“From the get go, I have expressed my strong and personal support to capital punishment for drug trafficking and plunder,” Revilla said.
“If at all, ako ang hihingi ng tulong sa kanya [Go], to support yung aking panukala na idagdag sa batas, to prevent it from being weaponized for politics, na false accusers should also suffer death,” he further said. /jpv