Newly acquitted Bong Revilla jokes about now being under 'house arrest'

On his first public speech after his acquittal from plunder, former Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. on Monday thanked his wife, Bacoor Mayor Lani Mercado, for her support during his four-year detention.

Attending the flag ceremony at the Bacoor City Hall, Revilla joked that he is now under "house arrest."

"Inililipat na raw kay Lani ang custody sa akin. Sabi ko, patay," Revilla said.

"Kung apat na taon akong naka-custodial  arrest, ngayon naka-house arrest. Mas matindi pa ang bantay. Ito, no bail din ito," he added, drawing laughter from audience.

On a serious note, Revilla thanked Lani for her support, describing her as the love of his life.

"Kahit isang milyong beses man akong mamatay at muling mabubuhay, si Lani Mercado pa rin ang aking pipiliin kong mamahalin habang buhay," he said.

"Mama, tulad ng mga Bacooreño, hindi ako, hindi kami nagkamali ng pagpili sayo," he also said.

On Friday, the Sandiganbayan found Revilla, who has been detained in Camp Crame since 2014, not guilty of plunder in connection with the multi-billion-peso pork barrel fund scam. 

For her part, Lani said her husband is adjusting with his newly gained freedom.

"It was a time to settle down. Nag-aadjust po siya. Siyempre freedom, walang nagbabantay na pulis, walang limits. Kumbaga yung mga guarded moments wala na sa buhay niya," she said in an interview on News To Go.

According to her, their family was not expecting the decision to be on their side last Friday, but they were praying and hoping for the acquittal of his husband.

"Hindi namin alam. Ang pakiramdam namin we are so anxious, wala talaga kaming kaalam-alam but we are holding on our prayers and we hope it would be acquittal,” she said.

The Bacoor mayor said that one of the strongest defenses that saved her husband was the absence of proof that he received kickbacks from the scam. —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA News