Revilla to make important announcement upon return

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr. is set to make an "important" announcement upon his return to the country from in Israel, his lawyer said.

"Dapat abangan ng ating mga kababayan kung ano po 'yun," lawyer Joel Bodegon said Monday in an interview on dzMM.

Revilla, among the respondents in the government's plunder case on the pork barrel scam, left Manila  Saturday midnight for the Holy Land for a two-week vacation.

The trip mounted fears that Revilla was fleeing from justice after text messages alleging he has no plans to return circulated hours before his flight.

Bodegon denied the allegations and assured the public that the lawmaker will face charges against him in connection with the multibillion-peso government funds scam.

"Talagang napaka-unfair ng mga ganyang text, mga messages na ganyan ... Walang katotohanan na siya'y tatakas," the lawyer said.

He also said that the senator informed Justice Secretary Leila de Lima a month before the scheduled trip.

"Wala naman karapatan [si De Lima] na siya'y pigiling umalis. Wala namang warrant of arrest o hold depature order na na-issue laban sa kanya mula sa anumang sangay ng pamahalaan," Bodegon said.

De Lima asked the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in October last year to cancel passports of Revilla and other plunder case respondents Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile.

In a 15-page letter to DFA Secretary Albert del Rosario dated October 23, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima cited three reasons for the request namely: the possibility of flight, national security and the gravity of the crime.

The DFA, however, has not yet acted on De Lima's request.