A video showing a lawmaker watching an “e-sabong” or online cockfighting match on his phone just hours before President Bongbong Marcos Jr.’s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) has sparked public criticism and calls for disciplinary action.
The controversy erupted after photos and videos circulated online showing an official, now identified as AGAP Party-list Representative Nicanor Briones, using his smartphone during the voting for the next House Speaker at the Batasang Pambansa, shortly after the President concluded his SONA on Monday, July 28.
Briones has since come forward on Wendesday, July 30, admitting he was the one in the video. He, however, denied that he was betting or participating in the online gambling activity.
“Malinis naman konsensya ko. ‘Di ako nagsasabong, ‘di ako makikita sa sabungan. Fake news. Wala akong money transfer na online,” Briones said in a statement.
Briones insisted that the video was forwarded by his nephew and that he had no intention of gambling.
“Para bang pinalalabas nila na wala akong ginagawa… ang haba ng botohan, may nag-message lang sa’kin, tiningnan ko lang naman”, he explained.
“Nahihiya ako sa aking mga kasamahan sa Kongreso, kay Speaker, at sa imaheng idinulot nito sa Kamara. Humihingi ako ng paumanhin kung may hindi nagustuhan,” Briones expressed his apology in a video taken by News5.
In an interview with ABS-CBN, he addressed the person who filmed him and those who share and spread misinformation about the viral video: “Kung sino man ang gumawa sa akin n’on, ‘yung nag-video at gumawa ng fake news na ako’y nanonood ng online sabong, hindi ko alam ang iyong motibo, pero tapos na ito. Pinaliwanag ko na ito.”
“Kung ano man ang motibo mo, pinapatawad na kita. Ang akin lamang masasabi, ‘wag mo nang uulitin dahil baka sa susunod ay makulong ka na,” he warned.
The incident prompted Senator Erwin Tulfo to urge the House of Representatives to take swift action against the congressman, stressing that such behavior sets a “bad example” for public officials.
“Come on, nandoon ka sa Congress, it doesn’t matter kung boring ‘yung botohan ng [House] Speaker. Maghintay ka, trabaho mo ‘yun eh,” Tulfo said in a press briefing, “There’s a time kung sugarol ka which is bawal kapag government official ka.”
“Because pinapaswelduhan kami ng taumbayan, ninyo, para magtrabaho, hindi para magsugal. Nakakahiya naman. You pay us thousands and thousands and then magsusugal lang. Number two, bad example. Sinabi na nga ng gobyerno, bawal ang sugal. Bawal ka magsugal. Ba’t ka nagsusugal? I hope the Congress will do something about it,” he added.
