Defense counsel Michael Poa on Tuesday denied making a statement attributed to him in a social media post responding to Rep. Terry Ridon.

Poa issued the clarification after a post circulated online carrying statements attributed to him about Ridon, who has been involved in the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.

“I wish to clarify that a statement circulating on social media, purportedly attributed to me as a response to Rep. Terry Ridon, is not true. I never made or issued that statement,” Poa said in a statement.

The post attributed to Poa a remark in Filipino comparing Ridon to a noisy empty container and said he was referring to Ridon because he had been speaking at nearly every news conference since the impeachment proceedings began.

Poa did not repeat or endorse the remarks, saying he did not want words he did not say, particularly those directed personally at Ridon, to be attributed to him.

“While Rep. Ridon and I may find ourselves on opposing sides in the impeachment proceedings, I have always endeavored my statements to be respectful, professional and focused solely on the issues,” Poa said.

He asked the pages that carried the post to correct or remove it to prevent further misunderstanding.

“I understand that in the fast-paced nature of news and social media, inaccurate information may sometimes be inadvertently picked up or shared,” he said.