National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director Melvin Matibag on Tuesday denied social media claims that he owns a mansion in the United States, calling the reports fake news intended to undermine his credibility following his Senate testimony in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Speaking to reporters, Matibag said the false allegations surfaced shortly after his Senate appearance, echoing earlier online attacks aimed at weakening his standing as a witness.

“Prior to my testimony, fake news against me also ramped up,” Matibag said, adding that critics had previously attempted to use illegally obtained recordings against him.

Matibag said the claims stemmed from a failure to properly verify public property records in the US.

He explained that the property cited in online posts belongs to a different individual named Melvin Bihon Sano Matibag, who is married to Anna Marie Laman.

He criticized the media outlet that originally published the report without proper fact-checking, noting that another news organization and various online content creators subsequently amplified the false claim. He added that the original publisher later acknowledged its error after conducting further research.

“We don’t own any property there,” Matibag said, emphasizing that neither he nor his family owns real estate in the United States.

The NBI chief maintained that the unsubstantiated reports were part of a deliberate effort to damage his reputation as a law enforcement officer, calling the accusations “totally untrue” and urging media organizations and the public to verify information before sharing it online.