Bong Revilla
Ramon Bautista Bong Revilla Jr. is a Filipino former actor and politician who served as a senator from 2004 to 2016 and again from 2019 to 2025.
The son of actor-politician Ramon Revilla Sr., he himself became an action star in the 1980s and 1990s as Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., starring in the Alyas Pogi film series as the titular policeman Henry Cruz. He started his political career in Cavite, serving as vice governor and later governor. He was the chairman of the Videogram Regulatory Board from 2002 to 2004.
Revilla was first elected to the Senate in 2004. He successfully ran for a second term and topped the senatorial race in 2010. His alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam led the Sandiganbayan to issue an arrest warrant against him and other co-accused on June 20, 2014. Within hours, Revilla surrendered before the anti-graft court.
Revilla was acquitted of plunder and released on December 7, 2018, but was required to return to the government in civil liability. He stood accused of 16 counts of graft for his alleged role in the transfer of ₱517 million of his discretionary funds to bogus foundations until all cases were dismissed by Sandiganbayan on 2021; however, he has yet to return the required amount he was asked to give back before his acquittal. He successfully ran for a third term in the Senate in 2019 and sought a re-election in 2025 but lost. Since January 2026, he is currently being detained over alleged involvement in anomalous flood control projects.
Early life and education
Bong Revilla was born as Jose Mari Mortel Bautista Jr. to actor Jose Acuña Bautista Sr. and Azucena Mortel. He has over 70 siblings, with his father once claiming that the number is probably above 80. His six siblings are Marlon, Rowena, Rebecca, Strike, Andrea and Diane, and among his half-siblings are Evelyn and Ramgen Jose.In 1977, Bong Revilla finished his elementary education at Jesus Good Shepherd School in Palico II, Imus, Cavite. He finished his secondary education at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, California, United States, in 1982. Ramon Revilla encouraged Bong Revilla to be a doctor, but the younger Revilla committed to pursuing his acting career.
Acting career
Bong Revilla entered the showbiz industry in 1973. He debuted in the film Tiagong Akyat as a seven-year old child actor. It was produced by the Revilla family-owned Imus Production and starred his father Ramon Revilla and Aurora Salve.In the early 1980s, Revilla as a 14-year old featured in the film Bianong Bulag which also starred his father and Charito Solis. The younger Revilla played the role of the young version of the titular protagonist. The father and son also acted in the 1983 film Dugong Buhay.
After Dugong Buhay's production was wrapped up, the elder Revilla introduced his son to Lolit Solis who has become Bong Revilla's talent manager ever since. Solis' first project for Bong Revilla was a work by Tower Productions.
Revilla starred in the 2012 Metro Manila Film Festival entry, Si Agimat, si Enteng Kabisote at si Ako.
Revilla's acting career was put on hiatus in 2014 due to being arrested on graft and plunder charges. He was acquitted five years later and re-elected as a Senator in the May 2019 election. Revilla returned to acting under GMA Network and was reportedly filming for the drama fantasy television series Agimat ng Agila in December 2019.
In April 2024, the filming for Birador: Alyas Pogi 4 with Revilla began. The upcoming media event will mark Revilla's return to acting in feature films.
Political career
Vice-governor of Cavite (1995–1998)
In June 1994, Revilla became a member of the then-ruling party Lakas–NUCD, which drafted him to be their gubernatorial candidate in Cavite. According to him, it was President Fidel V. Ramos who first convinced him to enter politics and invited him to join the party. However, he was invited by National Bureau of Investigation director Epimaco Velasco, who also a Lakas member to be his running mate instead in the province. In the 1995 local elections, Velasco and Revilla won as governor and vice governor, beating the tandem of Juanito "Johnny" Remulla Sr. and Danilo Lara.As vice governor, he chaired Cavite's Provincial Task Force Against Illegal Gambling named "Task Force Sugal na Bawal", Cavite Multi-Agency Anti-Drug Council, and Task Force Bantay Likas Yaman. His anti-drug efforts earned him recognition from the International Narcotics Enforcement Officers Association, Inc. He also founded the Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. Foundation Inc. and the RRJ People's Organization Inc., where he served as chairman and president and chairman, respectively.
Governor of Cavite (1998–2001)
In February 1998, Velasco resigned as governor of Cavite when he was appointed as Secretary of the Interior and Local Government, replacing then senatorial candidate Robert Barbers. Revilla then assumed the governorship of the province. In the May 1998 local elections, he won a full term for the position of governor.As governor, Revilla also chaired various civic organizations such as the Cavite Clean and Green project, Region IV Peace and Order Council, Calabarzon Development Council, Cavite Provincial Peace and Order Council, Provincial Development Council, and the Cavite Provincial Tourism Council. He also founded Cavite Rescue 161, an emergency response unit of the province. During his term as governor, the Cavite Computer Center and the Cavite-Korea Friendship Hospital were established, while projects such as the Cavite Sports Complex and the Cavite Convention Center were commenced. The Proposed Conceptual Provincial Development Plan of Cavite, also called Vision 2020, was also furnished during this term.
He completed a Special Local Chief Executive Program on Local Governance at the Development Academy of the Philippines in Pasig in 1998. He was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Press Club in 1998 and was named as Most Outstanding Governor of Gawad Papuri Awards in 1999 and Most Outstanding Governor of the Department of Health Sandugo National Program in 2000.
During the Second EDSA Revolution from January 16 to 20, 2001, Revilla's political career deteriorated when he called for the resignation of his godfather, President Joseph Estrada, who was impeached and removed from office due to graft and corruption charges, at the height of the protest. In his May 2001 reelection bid for governor, he was trounced by then-Representative Ayong Maliksi by a wide margin.
He returned to his acting career and became a TV actor on the GMA Network's sitcom Idol Ko si Kap.
Chair of the Videogram Regulatory Board (2002–2004)
In July 2002, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appointed Revilla as chair of the Videogram Regulatory Board. Revilla launched a massive campaign against the rampant smuggling and selling of fake VCDs all over the country. The Board was able to conduct 3480 major operations including routine inspections throughout the Philippines which seized goods worth over, convicted 21 optical disc pirates, 2 videotape pirates and 5 large-scale distributors and retailers. He was given a Plaque of International Recognition for Efforts Against Piracy by the Motion Picture Association of America on July 23, 2003, and the Huwarang Lingkod Bayan Award by the Consumers League of the Philippines Foundation, Inc. on October 25, 2003.He also completed his course on Philippine Legislative Institutions and Processes at the Development Academy of the Philippines in November 2003.
Senator (2004–2016)
In February 2004, Revilla resigned as chair of the VRB and recommended Edu Manzano as his replacement. His father, Ramon Revilla Sr., ended his term as senator on June 30, 2004, upon being term-limited by the 1987 Philippine Constitution after serving two consecutive terms since 1992. He ran for the position of senator under the administration K-4 coalition. He won and received the second highest number of votes from the national electorate.During the 14th Congress, Revilla was named as chair of the Senate Committees on Public Works and on Public Services, which he used to push his travel safety advocacy. He authored the Mandatory Helmet Act, which obliged all motorcycle riders, including back riders, to wear standard protective helmets to reduce motorcycle-related accidents in the country. Because of the said road safety measures, he was named Safety Ambassador both by the Land Transportation Office and Suzuki Philippines Inc. During the 15th Congress, he pursued policies on social justice, travel safety, lower taxes, community empowerment and infrastructure development. He also pushed for the passage of his separate bills that would grant wage increases for private sector and government employees.
He was reelected for a second consecutive term with the highest number of votes in 2010, serving until 2016. On May 29, 2012, Revilla was one of the 20 senator-judges who voted to convict Chief Justice Renato Corona.
Potential presidential bid
Despite the weakness of his party Lakas due to the arrest of former president and Pampanga 2nd district Representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Revilla became chair of the party on February 5, 2013. He succeeded Albay 1st district Representative Edcel Lagman and was to potentially run as standard bearer of the party in the 2016 presidential election. On May 13, 2013, the day of the 2013 elections, the Cavite Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation raided the house of Revilla, and according to Revilla, he was harassed by the group of Senator Panfilo Lacson and former Governor Ayong Maliksi.Involvement in the pork barrel scam
After the 2013 elections, he was allegedly involved in the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam, along with Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Senator Jinggoy Estrada, contributing to entrepreneur Janet Lim-Napoles' bogus foundations.The Commission on Audit, in its two-year investigation released on August 16, 2013, reported on the questionable release of the Priority Development Assistance Fund by 12 senators, including Revilla, and 180 representatives of Congress. A month later, the National Bureau of Investigation filed plunder cases against Revilla, Enrile, and Estrada.
On January 20, 2014, in his privilege speech to the Senate, he criticized the Aquino administration, revealing that he was talked to by the President along with then-Transportation and Communications Secretary Mar Roxas and Budget Secretary Florencio "Butch" Abad to convince him to convict the Chief Justice, Renato Corona.
The Office of the Ombudsman, on April 1, 2014, found probable cause to indict Revilla, Enrile, Estrada, and Napoles with plunder, and filed plunder charges before the Sandiganbayan on June 6, 2014.
On June 9, 2014, Revilla delivered a second privilege speech entitled "Salamat, Kaibigan", as charges were filed against him in the Sandiganbayan. On June 20, the Sandiganbayan issued a warrant of arrest against Revilla and more than 30 others. Revilla proceeded to the Sandiganbayan to surrender, and he chose to be detained at the PNP Custodial Center at Camp Crame, Quezon City.
The Sandiganbayan suspended Revilla from public office and his senior aide Richard Cambe on August 4, 2014, for 90 days. Revilla's bank accounts were frozen in 2015 as a consequence of his alleged involvement in the scam.
His trial for plunder was rescheduled several times due to various motions filed by Revilla. The trial finally began on June 22, 2017.