Palace: Marcos 'sad' over Bong Revilla's fate, but due process must prevail

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. was saddened over the issuance of an arrest warrant against former senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., but believes due process must prevail at all times.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro conveyed the President's sentiments on the matter as Revilla was among the senatorial candidates he endorsed under the Alyansa Para Sa Bagong Pilipinas alliance for Eleksyon 2025.

Aside from that, Revilla is also Marcos' friend, she added.

"Sabi niya malungkot siya dahil nakasama niya 'to sa Alyansa at kaibigan niya si Senator Bong Revilla. Ganu'n pa man, proseso pa rin ang mananaig. So 'yun na lamang po, kailangan pong pagdaanan ito at may proseso. But still, sinabi po niya na malungkot po siya sa nangyari," Castro said.

(The President said he was sad because senator Bong Revilla was part of the Alyansa and the latter was his friend. Still, due process must prevail. There's a process that must be followed. Still, he said he was sad with what happened.)

Revilla lost his bid to return to the Senate in the last polls, finishing 14th or outside the Magic 12 of winning candidates.

The Sandiganbayan Third Division issued Monday a warrant of arrest and a hold departure order against Revilla and six other individuals over an alleged P92.8-million ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.

Revilla surrendered Monday night to the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) in Camp Crame.

Before his surrender, Revilla expressed frustration over the Sandiganbayan Third Division's issuance of an arrest warrant and hold departure order (HDO) against him.

Revilla already posted a P90,000-bail before the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division in connection with the graft case filed against him.

However, the former senator will not be allowed to go home as the Sandiganbayan Special Third Division ordered his temporary detention in Quezon City Jail in Payatas for the malversation case he is facing in relation with the same alleged ghost project. — VDV, GMA Integrated News