MANILA, Philippines?Speaker Prospero Nograles wants to put an end to talks about the controversial P1 million dinner of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her entourage at a New York restaurant, even as several congressmen, including the reported host of the lavish dinner, remained tight-lipped.

Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez, identified by Malacañang as the one who foot the bill for the dinner at the Le Cirque restaurant, showed up in the House of Representatives at the start of the session but stayed only for less than an hour.

He evaded reporters by going to the congressmen?s lounge when they tried to interview him. Emerging from the lounge, he just walked past the television network?s crew and smiled until he boarded his vehicle.

In a statement, Nograles said the public was ?making a mountain out of a molehill? from the incident. He said the issue has been ?exhaustively? talked about and that Malacañang has explained the incident.

?Let?s stop beating a dead horse and let?s move on,? he said. ?Let?s put this issue to rest.?

The party list group, Akbayan, however, was not heeding Nograles? call.

It will file a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. against government officials involved in the Le Cirque dinner during President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo?s US trip.

Close to 20 congressmen went with the President in the US trip last week of July, including Nograles. But the House leader left ahead to speak at the Asean parliament assembly in Thailand.

At least four House members who joined the trip claimed no knowledge about the Le Cirque dinner even amid Malacanang?s admission.

Pangasinan Representative Rachel Arenas told reporters to instead talk to Romualdez.

Marikina Representative Del de Guzman said they had dinner but not in Le Cirque. He said he ordered spaghetti.

Mindoro Occidental Representative Amelita Villarosa confirmed that they had dinner on August 2, but that she could not recall the name of the restaurant. She said the restaurant sounded like ?Wolfgang,? and that the steak costs about $20 per serving.

Batangas Representative Hermilando Mandanas said the dinner he attended on August 2 was at the Bouley restaurant, which lasted 8 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

?It was not at Le Cirque, no champagne, no caviar, etc. I do not know who paid and how much. I have never been in Le Cirque,? Mandanas said in a text message.