The main topic during Bong Revilla's mini-press conference last Thursday, November 12, was his upcoming film Ang Panday, but the senator did not evade the issues involving him and his family.

There was the recent breakup of his son Jolo and girlfriend Lovi Poe.

"Siyempre nakakalungkot yun," Bong said pensively. "Malay natin... Tapos na ba? I don't know. Di ko pinakikialaman yung mga ganyan. [I] just hope na magkaayos sila."

A reporter tried to get Bong to expound some more, but Jolo's dad politely refused. "Ayokong makialam sa lovelife nila. Mahirap, mahirap makialam sa lovelife nila," he said.

COULD HAVE BEEN GIBO'S VP. Besides, a lot of things had been keeping him preoccupied. Aside from Panday, there was the offer to make him the running mate of Gilbert "Gibo" Teodoro, the standard bearer of the administration coalition Lakas-Kampi-Christian Muslim Democrats.

He has already begged off. (CLICK HERE to read related article.)

Time constraint was one of his primary reasons: "Masyadong close. Kung tinuloy-tuloy ko yung kampanya ko before, nung hindi ako naawat ng Daddy [former Senator Ramon Sevilla Sr.], puwede. Puwede, kasi marami sa atin nakapag-commit na mga governors, mayors, congressman.

"E, by this time, siyempre, maari naka-commit na din sila sa iba. So sayang, kung tinuloy ko yun, tapos eto, perfect! But nakukulangan tayo sa profession..."

But he is flattered to have been asked.

"Nagpapasalamat ako sa partido ko, sa Lakas-Kampi. At least nakita niya tayo na puwede pala, that's why very thankful sa partido. Anyway I'm still young."

At the time of the interview, we had no inkling of what was going to happen next. Bong quipped that the party might be able to find a candidate who's "more makisig."

The following day, November 13, Edu Manzano was named as Gibo's vice president. Edu used to be the chairman of the anti-piracy Optical Media Board (OMB), which was Bong's turf in 2002. OMB was then called the Video Regulatory Board (VRB). The newly-appointed chairman is Ronnie Ricketts.

THE NEW OMB CHAIR. Bong said he had no hand in the appointment of his fellow action star.

"Sariling hirap niya yun," he stated. "Presidente mismo pumili sa kanya. Nakita rin yung kisig ni Ronnie, naging KAPP [Kapisanan ng mga Artista sa Pelikulang Pilipino] president."

He continued, "Kinunsulta rin sa akin nung Malacañang and wala naman akong nakitang dahilan para hindi siya mapili. Deserving naman si Ronnie."