Bong Revilla wants to end verbal war against Edu Manzano

“Pinagtatawanan na kami ng mga pirata,” Sen. Bong Revilla said in interviews over showbiz talk shows. Revilla was referring to his spat with Optical Media Board (OMB) chief and fellow actor-TV host Edu Manzano. Throughout the week, the two engaged in a public verbal tussle on a botched operation against suspected pirates.

“Matapang siya, matapang din ako. Kung tuloy-tuloy lang kami dito, walang mangayayari. Kaya, tama na ang bangayan,” Revilla stressed.

The word war started when Revilla had “observed” an OMB raid on stores suspected of selling pirated movie and music discs and computer software in the Makati Cinema Square mall on Tuesday. When they reached the stores, none of the pirated materials were found on the shelves. Because of this botched raid, Revilla chastised Manzano, whom he charged to have “backed out at the last minute.” In the end, Revilla had answered a reporter’s question on how he would assess Manzano’s performance as OMB chair. He said, “below average.”

This angered Manzano, who charged that it was Revilla who “interrupted” their operations aside from not coordinating with his office when he joined the raiding team in Makati. He also claimed the raid was over when Revilla arrived at Makati Cinema Square.

Revilla and Manzano were also at odds over a planned operation in Quiapo, Manila, which the senator had pushed to catch the “big fish” in piracy in the metropolis. Manzano did not agree to the operation saying the OMB had only 50 men to carry that out and would endanger their lives. Revilla had wondered why Manzano would not pursue the operation in Quiapo because he could easily call hundreds of armed soldiers. But Manzano said they had no arrest warrants.

Revilla is chair of Senate oversight committee on the OMB and said it was his duty to monitor the bureau’s activities. “Was he embarrassed about the outcome of the operation that’s why he is reacting? I just said I was not satisfied,” Revilla stressed.

Manzano was particularly hurt over Revilla’s “below-average” remark. “What was his basis for determining how effective our agency is? Does he have a bar of excellence?,” Manzano also said in a television interview. He added Revilla himself could not muster any “mind-boggling” credentials for the government’s anti-piracy efforts.

“We are just doing our job. We are commended all over the world, except in our own country,” Manzano said.

Revilla was Manzano’s predecessor in the OMB, which was previously known as the Video Regulatory Board (VRB).

It would seem that any chance for making both parties settle their differences seem remote after Manzano had mentioned he “could not forgive” Revilla for what he said. “How could he say that? Buhay ng tao ang nakataya dito.”

“…not only have you hurt me, you hurt my family. How can I forgive you? I have children, and they have classmates. Hindi porke’t sorry, e, okay na,” Manzano added.

Revilla on the other hand said his remarks weren’t an insult to his family. It was only directed, he said, at doing his job better and more effectively.

Revilla also brought up the possibility of the existence of a “mole” inside the OMB ranks, who receive huge amounts of money in exchange for information on OMB raids, that could have squealed on the raiding team that led to the botched operation. This Manzano flatly denied. ”He has called me a liar. (Now) he makes insinuations that I’m accepting money (from pirates).”

The latest tirade concerns Bong’s use of several bodyguards which Edu said was unnecessary for him because he only carries what his father had passed on to him: principles. Bong responded by saying he has bodyguards because of threats to his life as a result of his past battles against drug lords, pirates, politicians. “Baka wala siyang kaaway,” Bong said.

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