Allegations vs Romualdez debunked

A feed from personnel of the Senate had prompted Sonshine Media Network Inc. broadcaster to publicly claim that Speaker Martin Romualdez spent P1.8 billion in travel funds.

Jeffrey "Ka Eric" Celiz, a co-anchor of former anti-communist task force spokesperson Lorraine Marie Badoy in one of the programs of SMNI, told the House Committee on Legislative Franchises on Thursday that he made the claims against the Speaker as his source from the Upper House fed him.

"Ang source ko po, ang isa ay unlisted number, sa text message pero tumugma doon sa isang source na kilala ko. Yung ang dahilan kung bakit kami nagbungad noon without any intent of malice or imputing any sign of disrespect to the Speaker of the House," he told the panel.

(My source is one of the unlisted numbers but it matched with one of the sources I know. That's the reason we declared that)

Celiz referred to two sources, one of which is considered long-time. The other is an unverified number, from whom he received a text message containing the "fake news" against Romualdez during the airing of the program.

According to Celiz, the data he obtained from the unverified number matched his long-time source's information.

Celiz, however, refused to name his said source to protect his right.

"It means that it will be between us and the source already to talk. And I do not see any need to reveal him," Celiz said.

However, Quezon Rep. Jayjay Suarez said, "If you're gonna be secretive about divulging information, it puts a question on the validity of your statements."

Later on the deliberations, Celis, upon the scrutiny of the lawmakers, eventually admitted that the information fed to him was false.

Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel asked Celiz if he will recant his claims and apologize to Congress.

"If that will heal the wound of the degree of an amount of insult that was forwarded to Congress, if that's the effect of that, I don't have a problem with that personally because it's our job to recognize the mistake if there's a mistake but it's also our job to ask," Celiz said.

Celiz earlier revealed that his source was from Congress but later denied it. Upon Suarez's prodding, Celiz later on revealed his source is not from the lower house.

"Not from the lower house… wala sa House of Representatives," he told the panel.

"So you're saying sa Senado?" Suarez asked. "Obviously," Celiz responded.

Celiz and Badoy publicly accused Romualdez of incurring P1.8 billion in travel expenses in an SMNI program early this week, prompting Suarez to deliver a privilege speech on Tuesday that paved the way for the panel's inquiry on the possible violations of the SMNI legislative franchise.

House Secretary General Reginald Velasco was quick to debunk the claims, saying such allegations were false and unfounded.

"These allegations are a clear example of fake news, designed to mislead the public and tarnish the reputation of the Speaker and the entire House of Representatives as an institution," Velasco claimed. Edjen Oliquino