Ex-senator Revilla's condition improving, says son

MANILA, Philippines - Except for a brief scare over blood pressure, former senator and actor Ramon Revilla Sr's condition continued to improve, his son administration Senator Ramon Revilla Jr said Thursday. The younger Revilla said his 81-year-old father, who suffered a stroke earlier this week, can now recognize people and wanted to have the tube to his mouth removed. "Yung agimat niya buhay na buhay pa. For an 81-year-old iba talaga (His talisman is very much alive. For an 81-year-old man, he's showing extraordinary vigor)," he said in an interview on dzBB radio. During his stint as an actor, the elder Revilla was famous for playing heroes protected by talismans. The elder Revilla is still recuperating at the St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City. But the younger Revilla admitted they got a brief scare at 1 a.m. when the elder Revilla's blood pressure "shot up" to 208 over 103. "Yun pala di synchronized ang machine (It turned out the machine monitoring his blood pressure was not synchronized)," he said. - GMANews.TV