‘Hari ng Agimat’: Showbiz industry mourns Ramon Revilla Sr.’s passing

MANILA, Philippines — Veteran actor and former senator Ramon Revilla Sr. passed away Friday at 93 years old, his son, actor and senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., announced through a Facebook live video.

“After 93 full years, our father former Senator Ramon Revilla, Sr. succumbed to heart failure at 5:20 this afternoon. He is now free from physical pain and is in the loving arms of our Creator,” Bong announced in a separate post.

“Thank you very much for the love and prayers, as we ask for continuous prayers for the eternal repose of his soul.”

Bong’s video was viewed over 180,000 times while over 16,000 expressed their sympathies, including showbiz personalities.

“Oh No!!!! So sorry... so sorry Sen. RIP Sir Ramon Revilla sr. My condolences to the family,” actress Elizabeth Oropesa wrote.

“My prayers amd condolences to your family!!!!” film producer Noel Ferrer said.

“May his soul Rest in Peace... Sen. Ramon Revilla Sr.   Condolences Sen. Bong Revilla. You and your family are in my thoughts as you grieve this loss. All my love,” actress Vivian Velez commented.

Born José Acuña Bautista Sr. on March 8, 1927 in Imus, Cavite, Ramon Sr. is the youngest of 10 children of entrepreneurs Ildefonso Bautista and Andrea Acuña.

A graduate of Bachelor's degree in Commerce from Far Eastern University, Ramon Sr. was the father of actors Bong, Princess Revilla, Ram Revilla and Marlon Bautista.

Ramon Sr. began his showbiz career playing small parts in films, which prompted him to leave showbiz for a while to become the head of Bureau of Customs’ Secret Service Unit in 1965.

He also created his own film outfit, Imus Productions, through which he starred in almost 300 films in almost six decades or until 2005. 

Most notably, he rose to fame portraying the Cavite gangster “Nardong Putik” (1972) and the seemingly invincible crime crusader “Pepeng Agimat” (1973) in movies. These characters gave him the image of having superhuman powers through the help of his “anting-anting” (amulets).

In 1973, he won as Famas Best Actor Award for "Hulihin si Tiyagong Akyat," together with his son Marlon for a Famas Best Child Actor Award of the same movie. 

His Imus Productions was awarded as Outstanding Film Production in 1975. The following year, he bagged the Outstanding Producer of the Year award.

He was hailed as Most Outstanding Actor and Box Office King in 1979, while in 2011, the 33rd Catholic Mass Media Awards Night conferred Ramon Sr. the Lifetime Achievement Award.

In 1992, Ramon Sr. became a senator and held office until the end of his two terms in 2004. Among his achievements included an amendment to the country’s Family Code Law  that enables illegitimate children to use the surname of their father “if their affiliation has been expressly recognized by the father through the record of birth appearing in the civil register, or when an admission in a public document or private handwritten instrument is made by the father."

"The child should not suffer the stigma of his illegitimacy," Ramon Sr. was once quoted as saying.

He fathered at least 72 children from 16 women. 

Last Father’s Day, Bong honored his father by giving everyone a virtual tour of his dad’s room, photos and memorabilia. 

On his 90th birthday last 2017, Ramon Sr.’s 10-meter bronze statue by Filipino sculptor and National Artist Eduardo Castrillo was unveiled in his home in Bacoor, Cavite, alongside the opening of “Memo Revilla,” a museum showcasing his old pictures and film memorabilia, including his famous “anting-anting” and “Panday” sword.

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