The main topic during Bong Revilla’s mini-press conference last Thursday, November 12, was his upcoming film Ang Panday, but the senator did not evade the other issues involving him and his family. There was the recent breakup of his son Jolo and girlfriend Lovi Poe.

“Siyempre nakakalungkot yun,” Bong said pensively. “Malay natin… Tapos na ba? I don’t know. Di ko pinakikialaman yung mga ganyan. [I] just hope na magkaayos sila.” A reporter tried to get Bong to expound some more, but Jolo’s dad politely refused. “Ayokong makialam sa lovelife nila. Mahirap, mahirap makialam sa lovelife nila,” he said.

COULD HAVE BEEN GIBO’S VP. Besides, a lot of things had been keeping him preoccupied. Aside from Panday, there was the offer to make him the running mate of Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro, the standard bearer of the administration coalition Lakas-Kampi-Christian Muslim Democrats. He has already begged off. (CLICK HERE to read related article.)

Time constraints was one of his primary reasons: “Masyadong close. Kung tinuloy-tuloy ko yung kampanya ko before, nung hindi ako naawat ng Daddy [former Senator Ramon Sevilla, Sr.], puwede. Puwede kasi, marami sa atin nakapag-commit na mga governors, mayors, congressman. “E, by this time, siyempre maari naka-commit na din sila sa iba. So sayang, kung tinuloy ko yun, tapos eto, perfect! But nakukulangan tayo sa profession…” But he is flattered to have been asked. “Nagpapasalamat ako sa partido ko, sa Lakas-Kampi. At least nakita niya tayo na puwede pala, that’s why very thankful sa partido. Anyway I’m still young.”

At the time of the interview, we had no inkling of what was going to happen next. Bong quipped that the party might be able to find a candidate who’s “more makisig.”

The following day, November 13, Edu Manzano was named as Gibo’s vice president. Edu used to be the chairman of the anti-piracy Optical Media Board (OMB), which was Bong’s turf in 2002. OMB was then called the Video Regulatory Board (VRB). The newly-appointed chairman is Ronnie Ricketts.

THE NEW OMB CHAIR. Bong said he had no hand in the appointment of his fellow action star.

“Sariling hirap niya yun,” he stated. “Presidente mismo pumili sa kanya. Nakita rin yung kisig ni Ronnie, naging KAPP [Kapisanan ng mga Artista sa Pelikulang Pilipino] president.” He continued, “Kinunsulta rin sa akin nung Malacañang and wala naman akong nakitang dahilan para hindi siya mapili. Deserving naman si Ronnie.” What about the chairman who preceded Ronnie? Bong smiled and quickly replied, “Wala akong sinasabing ganyan… Iintrigahin niyo na naman.”

Bong and Edu had a falling-out in 2007 when one of the raid operations was jeopardized because the senator had reportedly meddled. Edu also felt hurt when Bong accused him of protecting Quiapo, an area known as one of the centers of DVD piracy, and rated his performance as “below the average.” (CLICK HERE to read related article.)

THE MAN HE CALLED “PERVERT.” PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) got his reaction on the indictment of Hayden Kho, Jr.

It will be recalled that Bong backed Katrina Halili when she filed the formal complaint last May. In the senator’s privilege speech, he described Hayden as “a pervert of the highest kind, a predator who has no conscience or respect for women.” (CLICK HERE to read related article.)

Six months later, Bong’s stand on the issue remains the same. “Good decision on the part of DOJ [Department of Justice], at least binigyan ng hustisya si Katrina, ‘tsaka hindi dapat pamarisan ng iba yun. And I’m positive na makukulong siya,” the action star said.

-pep