Hour after, he broke the good news about Mariel’s safe delivery, Robin was granted absolute pardon by President Rodrigo Duterte for his previous conviction.
Robin got the copy of Malacañang’s memorandum on his camp’s request for absolute pardon straight from President Duterte.
“Yun po ang tawag ko dun—double celebration.
“Sa isang araw. Sa numero lang iba, November 14 dun, November 15 dito.
“Pero kapag binilang mo yun, walang 24 hours nangyari lahat.
“Kaya sabi nga namin ni Mariel, parang magka-birthday kami ng anak ko.
“Kasi ipinanganak siya, ipinanganak din ako.
“Well, born again ako. Pero ibig sabihin, ganun yung philosophy niya.”
The action star felt bad that he wasn’t there to cut their baby’s umbilical cord himself.
He said, “Aba, malungkot! Siyempre nag-aral pa ako niyan, e.
“Pinagtiyagaan ko pag-aralan yung birth coach na ‘yan, e… Meron akong diploma niyan…”
Robin added that he couldn’t wait to be right by Mariel’s side, especially at a time when she needs him the most.
The action star explained, “Yun naman ang unang purpose nang pagpunta sa America.
“Alam naman ng lahat. Hindi naman ipinaglihim ni Mariel na dumaan siya sa matinding pagbubuntis.
“Yung pagbubuntis niya, hindi normal, abnormal yun.
“Kaya iyong medical attention… Lalo na ako, sampalataya lang din kami kay Dra. Ailene Manalo dito sa Pilipinas.
“Pero siyempre, yung tinatawag nating First World, nandun yung know-how kung ano man yung lalabas kay Mariel, napaghandaan yun.
“Kasi hindi talaga alam, e, kung iyong pinagdaanan niyang proseso na yun normal.
“Kasi iba talaga. Iba po talaga yung pinagdaanan ni Mariel, yung proseso ng pagbubuntis.”
Now that he recovered his full civil and political rights, Robin said that his next step is to follow-up his pending application for U.S. visa.
“Mabilis talaga si Mariel!
“Kasi kanina papunta dito, inaayos ko pa… Baka hanapin ng U.S. Embassy ang original (copy of presidential memorandum on Robin’s absolute pardon).
“Ang sinabi ni Mariel, nakasulat na agad si Atty. Michael Garfinkel (Robin’s legal counsel in U.S.) sa U.S. Embassy, na ang sinasabi, nakakuha na tayo ng absolute pardon.
“Kaya ang bilis ni Mariel! Ang bilis ng babae talaga!
“Kaya kapag gusto ka talagang hulihin ng babae, yari ka, e! Hindi, totoo, ang bilis,” Robin jokingly exclaimed.
According to Robin, it was even Mariel who called him over the phone as soon as she heard about his absolute pardon on the news.
“‘Happy birthday!’ Yun ang una niyang sinabi sa akin.
“Kasi parang bagong kapanganak, e. Eto yung birthday ko. Mas mabilis yung balita, e.
“Hindi pa ako nakakalabas ng Malacañang, nasa balita na.”
Robin also said that Mariel will be staying in the U.S. until February.
Will he be able to get his U.S. visa and join Mariel in the States soon?
Robin replied, “Ay, naku! God willing! Sana magdilang-anghel ka!
The 46-year-old action star is optimistic that the U.S. Embassy will take into consideration the fact that he’s now a “free man.”
“Matagal na pong nandun (yung application ko sa U.S. Embassy).
“Hindi pa naman po ako nade-deny. Ano lang po, magmula 2003 hanggang ngayon, hindi pa ako ulit nabibigyan ng visa.
“Kasi nakapunta naman na ako ng America “Sana po makatulong yung ibinigay sa aking absolute pardon.”
In fact, Robin added that the first thing that came to mind—when President Duterte gave him a copy of the presidential memorandum—was for him to present it to the U.S. Embassy for his visa application.
“Gusto pa makipagkuwentuhan ni Mayor (President Duterte, former Davao City mayor), pero wala na. Naisip ko na yung U.S. Embassy.
“Gusto ko na puntahan yung U.S. Embassy, gusto ko na dalhin ito baka sakaling makatulong…
“So, kung ang usapin ay convicted [ako dati], hindi na, tapos na.
“E, siyempre, ang magdedesisyon pa rin sa huli po, U.S. Embassy pa rin.”
