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Bong Revilla gets more visitors on Day 3 in Quezon City jail
More visitors arrived Thursday to see former senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. at the Quezon City (QC) Jail Male Dormitory, marking his third day in detention over the flood control scandal.
Revilla's relatives began arriving at the detention facility as soon as visiting hours started at 1 p.m. Among those seen entering the jail were his wife, Cavite 2nd District Representative Lani Mercado and their daughter Giana, followed by other visitors.
Some visitors were also seen bringing food. Under BJMP rules, persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) are allowed to receive food from visitors, while cooking inside the facility remains prohibited.
As this developed, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla and the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday released mug shots of Revilla and six other individuals arrested and now detained at the QC Jail over their alleged involvement in the flood control controversy.
The Sandiganbayan Third Division on Tuesday ordered Revilla's temporary detention in the jail facility after the Ombudsman filed a malversation case against him and his co-accused over an alleged P92.8-million ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.
In the photos, the detainees' faces were blurred, and all of them wore the standard yellow shirt issued to persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).
Remulla reiterated that Revilla is not receiving any special treatment while in detention.
"I hope that clears everything na nandodoon siya. I'd like to repeat, walang special treatment. Kung iniisip niyo na (mala) cathedral ang bahay nila, yung tinitirhan niya ngayon, hindi po. He is a regular inmate in Payatas City Jail, just to be clear." Remulla said.
(I hope that clears everything about his incarceration there. I'd like to repeat, he's not getting special treatment. If you think that their house is like a cathedral, where he's staying now is not like that. He is a regular inmate in Payatas City Jail, just to be clear.)
The DILG secretary clarified that although there is a designated room inside the detention facility where detainees may meet with their lawyers, the use of gadgets is strictly prohibited except during consultations with legal counsel.
"That's the only time na makakagamit siya ng gadget para sa mga abugado, but otherwise, ang privileges ng senator ay pareho sa privileges ng shoplifter. Pare-pareho lang." Remulla said.
(The only time that he is able to use gadgets is with lawyers, but otherwise, the senator's privileges are the same as the privileges of a shoplifter. They are equal.)
Remulla also explained why Revilla and four of his co-accused—who were recently admitted to the QC Jail—are currently being held in individual cells.
They include former DPWH Bulacan assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez, former DPWH Bulacan 1st district engineers Jaypee Mendoza and Arjay Domasig, and former finance section chief and accountant Juanito Mendoza.
"Dahil mandatory sa BJMP, kung bagong inmate ka, may seven-day quarantine para tignan kung may infectious disease sa katawan mo (For the BJMP, it's mandatory for new inmates to undergo a seven-day quarantine to check if your body has any infectious diseases). So after seven days, they will be incorporated in the general population." Remulla said, referring to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.
While Remulla personally escorted Revilla to the Sandiganbayan when the latter returned the warrant of arrest, the DILG chief clarified that this was his "final gesture of friendship."
He stressed that he does not intend to visit Revilla in jail, despite their friendship. Though, he admitted that the situation was painful for him.
"Of course, sino sa inyo rito ang may kaibigan nang nakulong? It pains me to see a friend go to jail, but my commitment to country goes beyond the friendship in this country. Uunahin ko muna ang bansa kahit anong mangyari," Remulla said.
(Of course, who here has a friend who was imprisoned? It pains me to see a friend go to jail. But my commitment to the country goes beyond any friendship in this country. I will put the country first no matter what happens.)
Remulla added he could not yet say whether Revilla has fully adjusted to detention. However, he confirmed that the former senator passed his medical examination upon admission to the QC Jail.
According to Remulla, he is not aware of any existing medical condition affecting Revilla, aside from cataracts, which the former senator had already undergone surgery for some two to three years ago.
Meanwhile, additional security personnel were deployed around the perimeter of the Quezon City Jail. Authorities said the increased security is due to the high-profile nature of the case involving the detainees currently held at the facility. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
