A P100-million libel and cyber-libel case was filed by Senator Manny Pacquiao against Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, spiritual adviser of President Rodrigo Duterte, on Tuesday at the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office.
The case stemmed from a television and social media post made by Quiboloy, also owner of Sonshine Media Network International, where he claimed the senator misused funds for the unfinished Sarangani Sports Training Center that eventually became a “white elephant.”
Due to this, Pacquiao stressed Quiboloy should pay P100 million in damages plus attorney’s fees for “using his power and influence to spread fake news and false information.”
“He used this deliberate falsehood to brainwash the minds of the Filipino public, recklessly propagating lies to blacken the image and reputation of an honest public servant. He even had the audacity to quote the Holy Scripture in furtherance of his lies, misleading his flock, and confusing the public, with the end view of blackening another’s reputation,” read part of Pacquiao’s 13-page complaint.
Meanwhile, Malacañang on Tuesday said there was no plunder of public funds as the government continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic.
This was after Pacquiao, during the continuation of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the government’s spending of COVID-19 funds, introduced a new word, “plundemic,” or plunder in the time of the pandemic.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque reiterated that the Commission on Audit (COA) had already clarified that the observed deficiencies in the Department of Health’s (DOH) management of pandemic funds is not conclusive of corruption. Macon Ramos-Araneta
“COA already made a clarification. In its report, it said it never said the DOH made irregularities. So, there is no ‘plundemic’,” Roque said in an online press briefing.
The senator said Quiboloy appeared on SMNI TV and on social media and a accused him of embezzlement over the sports training center.
Quiboloy also claimed the project had cost the government P3.5 billion, as he showed pictures of dilapidated bleachers and overgrown grass on his TV program.
But Pacquiao argued the dilapidated buildings were actually old facilities at the Sarangani Province Sports complex.
Prior to his trip to the US for a boxing match last month, Pacquiao said a video was leaked to the public where he was heard complaining about the worsening corruption in the country.
The video apparently incensed President Rodrigo Duterte, who challenged the senator to prove his claim that corruption under his administration has worsened. Quiboloy’s accusation came after this, the senator said.
“My statement relating to the prevalence of corruption in the Philippines under the current administration and even at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic is based on findings from documents and information I obtained from concerned citizens,” said Pacquiao.