Villafuerte denies claims he, sons were in Siargao as storm hits Bicol

Camarines Sur 2nd District Rep. LRay Villafuerte

MANILA, Philippines — Camarines Sur 2nd District Rep. LRay Villafuerte has denied claims on social media that he and his sons were in Siargao as Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami) pounded the Bicol Region.

In a statement on his Facebook page, Rep. Villafuerte said instead of helping each other during times of calamities, their political opponents were spreading “fake news” about their recent whereabouts.

Social media pages showed Rep. Villafuerte and his sons Camarines Sur Governor Luigi Villafuerte and Camarines Sur 5th District Rep. Migz Villafuerte supposedly hanging out in Siargao while Kristine caused severe flooding across Bicol.

Rep. Villafuerte said the photos were taken last Saturday, October 19, and they were back in the Bicol Region on Monday, October 21.

“During times of calamities, we should help each other and be united, but there are desperate forces, liars, and crazy people releasing fake information through their fake accounts stating that I and Gov. Luigi were in Siargao right now, while our people suffer due to floods,” he wrote in Filipino.

“This is a lie and this is not true! Because those from Camarines Sur know that this is mere mudslinging because our opponents are just all talk and cannot help people, so they try to spread fake news to destroy our reputation. That photo in Siargao was posted yesterday or today but was taken Saturday, and all SK officials returned to Camarines Sur on Monday before the storm hit,” he added.

According to Villafuerte, “to counter fake news and mudslinging,” they have been posting on social media relief efforts and rescue operations conducted on Thursday.

“We want to find solutions instead of posting, but I have to do this to prove that our opponents in politics are liars and desperate,” he added.

According to Facebook page “Bantay Nakaw Coalition,” Rep. Villafuerte and several other individuals — including actress Yassi Pressman who is Governor Luigi’s girlfriend — were in Siargao.

After Rep. Villafuerte’s clarification, the same FB page maintained that the lawmaker seemed to have no intention of saying where he was yesterday.

However, a separate post by Villafuerte’s sons showed that they were in Camarines Sur to inspect the damage caused by the storm.

In its Thursday noon bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration said Kristine maintained its strength as it crossed Northern Luzon.

Kristine was currently packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, with a gustiness of up to 160 kph.

Despite Kristine moving over the Cordillera Administrative Region earlier, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 is still raised over Camarines Sur and several other provinces in the Bicol Region.

READ: Kristine keeps strength over Northern Luzon; 7 areas under Signal No. 3