Bong wants to see son in hospital

MANILA, Philippines - Detained Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. will ask the Sandiganbayan to allow him to visit his son, Cavite Vice Gov. Jolo Revilla, confined at the intensive care unit of the Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Muntinlupa for a gunshot wound in the chest.

Lawyer Raymond Fortun, spokesman for the Revilla family, said the senator would ask for a 24- to 48-hour furlough.

Jolo was rushed to the hospital Saturday after he supposedly shot himself by accident while cleaning a handgun.

Fortun said the younger Revilla underwent an operation yesterday to clean the bullet wound, which fortunately was not fatal.

In a medical update released at 5 p.m. yesterday, Jolo was sent back to intensive care after a two-and-a-half-hour operation to remove blood from his lungs.

Sen. Revilla’s legal counsel Ramon Esguerra said doctors removed a half liter of blood.

Due to Jolo’s delicate condition, Esguerra said doctors have requested that only close family members should be allowed to visit.

“The family is requesting the public for more prayers for Jolo’s speedy recovery,” Esguerra said.

Fortun, on the other hand, dismissed reports that Jolo was depressed and attempted to end his life.

“Sen. Bong is expectedly worried and frustrated that he couldn’t be with his son,” Fortun said.

Fortun said he was able to talk to Jolo at the intensive care unit of the hospital on Saturday evening. He said there is no sign that Jolo is suffering from depression.

Lolit Solis, the talent manager of Sen. Revilla, however said Jolo became despondent since the arrest of his father last year and after the court ordered the freezing of the family’s bank accounts.

The elder Revilla is currently being held without bail at the Philippine National Police (PNP) custodial center in Camp Crame, facing charges of plunder for alleged misuse of his pork barrel allocations.

The Sandiganbayan earlier denied Revilla’s petition for bail but the lawmaker is in the process of appealing the ruling through a motion for reconsideration.

Solis, a close family friend, said Jolo, the third of seven children, “idolized” his father and drew strength from the senator.

Jolo was the most affected by the senator’s detention without bail for plunder, Solis told The STAR.

The depression apparently deepened after he learned that his father might be transferred to a regular jail in Taguig.

The Muntinlupa City police, however, are still investigating the incident.

City police chief Senior Superintendent Allan Nobleza said a police team is now investigating the incident but declined to give details.

Sources said that as of yesterday, no report has been submitted as the police are kept out of the Revilla residence in Ayala Alabang Village and at the Asian Hospital.

“The family of vice governor is not cooperating with investigators; security guards at the Asian Hospital barred investigators from visiting Jolo,” an official said. – Christina Mendez, Perseus Echeminada, Paolo Romero