Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Karen De Guzman

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

<div><iframe width="729" height="410" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/itVtv3ptxEw" title="LIVE: Former Sen. Bong Revilla to be committed at the Quezon City Jail in Payatas, QC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>MANILA — Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Wednesday that he personally accompanied former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. to the Sandiganbayan following his surrender as a “last act of friendship,” without giving any special treatment to the former lawmaker.</p><p>Remulla made the statement following reports questioning his presence during Revilla’s surrender and allegations of preferential treatment.</p><p>“Accused pa lang siya ‘di ba? Hindi pa siya arraigned at hindi ko naman tinago sa inyo na kaibigan ko talaga siya,” Remulla said.</p><p>“Pero ipinaliwanag ko rin sa inyo na the law is the law, there are no special favors, I have to do my job so sabi ko ako na maghahatid sa ‘yo,” he added. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/20/bong-revilla-to-be-detained-at-qc-jail-1409">Bong Revilla detained at QC Jail</a></div><p>Remulla said he deliberately left once Revilla was turned over to authorities to avoid any perception of interference.</p><p>“Hindi ko na hinintay ‘yung commitment niya kasi kung andoon ako sa commitment order, baka akala ng tao I am manipulating things. So, the Sandiganbayan did their job, nag-assign kung saan makukulong, wala akong kinalaman doon,” he said. </p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/21/bong-revilla-tried-but-failed-to-bring-clothes-gadgets-into-qc-jail-bjmp-1227">Bong Revilla tried but failed to bring clothes, gadgets into QC Jail: BJMP</a></div><div><iframe width="729" height="410" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XgyI2Tre7yU" title="&#x27;Wala akong kasalanan dito&#x27;: Bong Revilla on arrest warrant | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>Remulla denied claims that authorities were asked to withhold photos of Revilla’s booking procedures, saying neither he nor Revilla’s camp made such a request. </p><p>He said he would seek documentation from the Philippine National Police (PNP) to address the issue.</p><p>He further clarified why Revilla was not handcuffed and was not wearing a detainee shirt, unlike some of his co-accused, particularly DPWH engineers Brice Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza. </p><p>“Confined sa Senate so considered deprived of liberty na sila. Si Sen. Bong naman, voluntarily nag-surrender at pagdating na doon, that’s the end, ayun na ‘yung may last act of friendship para sa kanya na ihatid siya doon,” he said. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/20/palace-bong-revilla-case-shows-no-sacred-cows-in-flood-control-scandal-1339">Palace: Bong Revilla’s surrender shows no sacred cows in flood control scandal</a></div><p>The DILG chief said Revilla was detained in a regular cell and treated like any other inmate.</p><p>Remulla said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. gave clear instructions that Revilla be treated with respect and fairness. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>BJMP SAYS ‘ZERO TOLERANCE’ FOR SPECIAL TREATMENT      </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said Revilla and other former government officials implicated in the flood control scandal would get no VIP treatment. </p><p>“Professional po ang BJMP, Iahat po ng jail officers natin diyan ay professional at expected ang professionalism sa kanila. Pangalawa ho, ipinag-utos ng ating secretary at chief BJMP ang ‘zero tolerance’ against VIP treatment. Kakasuhan natin ‘yan at maaaring ipa-dismiss sa serbisyo,” BJMP Spokesperson JSupt. Jayrex Bustinera said.</p><p>Body-worn cameras will also be distributed for transparency on day-to-day interactions with persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), both for old and new high-profile inmates, while 24/7 CCTVs are also in place to assure the integrity of jail officers, Bustinera said. </p><p>For now, Revilla and his co-accused are under quarantine as part of protocol for newly committed PDLs. They will soon join the jail’s general population of 3,600.</p><p>“Sila po ay nagdaan sa standard operating procedures ng commitment ng PDL natin katulad ng ginagawa natin sa pangkaraninwang bilanggo,” Bustinera said in an interview with state-run media PTV. </p><p>“Sa pagkain ho, ang kinain kagabi ay ginisang pechay. Kaninang umaga nag-breakfast po, base sa report na aming natanggap ay ginataang kamote at saging na saba, at tanghalian naman po ay manok na may rice,” the official added, when asked about Revilla’s food inside the facility. </p><p>The official said they have added personnel for security purposes. </p><p>“Lilinawin ko lang po, hindi po nito ibig sabihin may special treatment tayo kundi because of the nature of their case and the nature of their profile ay kailangan na ng dagdag seguridad,” he said. </p><p>“Humigit 500 na po ang duty diyan na nagdu-duty. More than 200 ang duty sa isang shift and then nagdagdag pa po tayo ng mga tauhan for their movement in case may dadalhin sila sa korte and lalabas ng jail ay may karagdagang security sa convoy,” he added. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>CO-ACCUSED SURRENDERS</strong></div><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1548160082940410%2F&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="429" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><br/></div><p>Meanwhile, another co-accused in the case had been accounted for.</p><p>DPWH Engineer Emelita Capistrano Juat surrendered at around 11 p.m. on Tuesday in Barangay Panghulo, Obando, Bulacan.</p><p>Juat is also facing charges of malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents in connection with alleged flood control project anomalies in Pandi, Bulacan. </p><p>Authorities confirmed that all seven accused in the case, including Revilla, are now accounted for.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/21/all-six-of-revilla-s-co-accused-arrested-last-2-show-up-at-sandiganbayan-1055">All six of Revilla’s co-accused arrested; last two show up at Sandiganbayan</a></div><div><br style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"/></div>

<p>Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Wednesday that he personally accompanied former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. to the Sandiganbayan following his surrender as a “last act of friendship,” without giving any special treatment to <i>the former lawmaker. </i></p>

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Wednesday that he personally accompanied former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. to the Sandiganbayan following his surrender as a “last act of friendship,” without giving any special treatment to the former lawmaker.

Remulla on Revilla surrender: ‘Last act of friendship, but no special treatment’

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Remulla on Revilla surrender: ‘Last act of friendship, but no special treatment’

Karen De Guzman,

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 21, 2026 02:48 PM PHT

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Updated January 21, 2026 02:56 PM PHT

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DILG

PNP

Bong Revilla

flood control

malversation

special treatment

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