The pork barrel scam accused Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada have asked the Sandiganbayan for furlough to attend the wake of “Kuya Germs.”
Kuya Germs, whose real name is German Moreno, died on Friday due to cardiac arrest.
In his motion for furlough, Revilla called Moreno his “mentor, close friend, and second father.”
Revilla said Moreno visited him on Christmas Day at his detention cell at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center. Revilla also said Moreno is a godparent in their marriage.
Revilla asked the court’s nod to leave his detention for five hours from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. to attend Moreno’s wake on either Jan. 12 at Mt. Carmel Church, New Manila, Quezon City, or on Jan. 13 at the GMA Network Center, Timog Avenue, Quezon city.
“Senator Revilla feels deeply saddened and dejected about the unfortunate death of Mr. Moreno, who not only served as a true godfather to him and his wife, Congresswoman Lani Mercado, but also, in more ways than one, helped, guided and cared for them countless times through the decades,” Revilla through his lawyers said in his motion.
Meanwhile, Estrada asked the court for a three-hour furlough from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. to attend the wake at Mt. Carmel Church, Quezon City.
“Visiting and attending the wake is one of a person’s Christian and Catholic obligation most especially to the accused movant to the remains of German Moreno who was and had been a part of the movie industry,” Estrada through his lawyers said.
Revilla and Estrada were actors before becoming lawmakers.
Kuya Germs has been credited with developing and producing some of the country’s biggest stars through his former TV show “That’s Entertainment.’’ He was also host of the popular program ‘‘Walang Tulugan.’’
Estrada and Revilla are detained for plunder at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center. Estrada is accused of receiving P183 million kickbacks from accused pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles. Meanwhile, Revilla is accused of accumulating P242 million kickbacks. Both of them had been denied bail by the Sandiganbayan.