Camarines Sur's Villafuertes deny posts saying they were in Siargao as tropical storm Kristine was raging over Bicol
Members of the Villafuerte political clan in Camarines Sur denied social media posts saying they were in Siargao as tropical storm Kristine was raging over the Bicol region.
In a Facebook post on Oct. 24, Gov. Luigi Villafuerte said he was in Siargao on Oct. 19, Saturday, for their "tourism benchmarking" with Camarines Sur's Sangguniang Kabataan officials and returned on Oct. 21, Monday.
He noted it's contrary to claims that they were in Siargao on Oct. 23 and got stuck there.
Luigi also shared a screenshot of his boarding pass from Siargao to Manila dated Oct. 21.
"This settles the issue. Thank you and God bless us all," he said.
He didn't share a photo of his boarding pass from Manila to Bicol.
Camarines Sur 2nd District Rep. LRay Villafuerte, the family patriarch, on Oct. 23 accused political opponents of being desperate liars who peddle "fake news" using fake accounts.
"Ngayong panahon ng kalamidad dapat lahat nagtutulungan at nagkakaisa," LRay said, "kaya lang ang mga desperado, mga sinungaling at mga ulol namin na mga kalaban nagpapalabas ng fake news sa kanilang mga fake accounts."
LRay noted the circulating photos were taken on Oct. 19 and were posted on Oct. 22 and 23. He said they have returned to Camarines Sur on Oct. 21.
The Villafuerte patriarch called out supposed detractors anew, saying their actions are nothing new every election season.
"Para kontrahin ang mga fake news at panira, ngayong araw, tuloy-tuloy post ko ng mga updates para malaman ng mga tao ang walang hinto naming mga gawa at aksyon," he said.
Camarines Sur 5th District Rep. Migz Villafuerte, meanwhile, didn't post any explanation but like his father LRay, was posting photos of their relief efforts.
Facebook pages, including Bantay Nakaw Coalition, showed LRay, Luigi and his girlfriend actress Yassi Pressman, and Migz supposedly having a vacation in Siargao amid severe flooding in Bicol.
State weather bureau PAGASA, on its 5 a.m. tropical cyclone bulletin, said Kristine will exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility in the afternoon of Oct. 25, Friday. It made its landfall over Isabela on Oct. 24, at 12:30 a.m., after bringing rains since Oct. 21.
Then categorized as a tropical storm, Kristine brought strong winds and rains during its wake, inundating several parts of Bicol. A resident noted it's the most severe flooding they've seen in 30 years.