Revilla confirms meeting with Lacson… but

By: 11 years ago

Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. confirmed his reported meeting with a one-time fugitive former Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, but not on how to evade arrest.

Revilla said he met with the former police chief for them to “move on” from the 2013 elections, when their sons competed for the vice governor post in Cavite, Philippine Daily Inquirer reporter Norman Bordadora tweeted on Thursday.

Revilla’s son, Ramon Jolo, won the post against Lacson’s son Jay.

“Our sons contested and vied for vice gubernatorial post… (Meeting) was an act of magnanimity for both sides,” Revilla was quoted as saying in the tweet.

The Inquirer reported on Thursday that Revilla “consulted” with Lacson on how to evade arrest, especially with the counts of plunder and graft cases filed against the senator over the pork barrel scam.

Lacson turned fugitive on Jan. 5, 2010 when he went to Hong Kong before charges were filed against him in connection with the murders of publicist Bubby Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito. He reappeared in Manila on March 26, 2011, after the Court of Appeals withdrew the murder charges against him.

Lacson even joked with Revilla if the latter intends to hide from the law, and that the one-time fugitive would teach the embattled senator. “Sabi ko ‘Di ko kaya yan. Masyado ako malulungkot mag-isa,’” Revilla was quoted as saying.

Revilla said both just had a “good meal” and the “meeting ended well.”

“To impute malice to that meeting is foul. I did not consult him on how he evaded the law,” the senator added.

Revilla, along with senators Jinggoy Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile, are facing counts of plunder and graft charges over the alleged elaborate scheme of converting their discretionary funds to kickbacks through ghost projects.