Sara dares solon to name source of controversial SMS

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews) – Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio hit Anak Kalusugan partylist Representative Mike Defensor for releasing a text message that he claimed was from the presidential daughter and dared him to drop the name of the person spreading the “disinformation.”

Carpio said in a statement that Defensor should stop sowing intrigue and reveal the source of that supposed text message to allow the “people to verify the truth of his claim.”

“I reiterate for Rep. Defensor to name his source because I have a reputation to protect and I have the right to confront a person who is spreading disinformation. Otherwise, we can all say that you are your own source,” she said.

The local chief executive, in that supposed message, was making an appeal to the members of the House of Representatives to vote whoever they wish to become the next Speaker of the House as her father was set up by the greedy members of the Cabinet who are allied with Taguig 1st District Representative Alan Peter Cayetano.

Last July 8, President Rodrigo R. Duterte made a pronouncement that Cayetano, his running mate in 2016 elections, will be the next House Speaker but he will share his term with Marinduque lone district Representative Lord Velasco.

Carpio revealed that Defensor had reached out to her twice through Charo Munsayac – the first when the lawmaker made last minute requests for Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez, who was another contender for the speakership, “to which I said that I will not interfere in that matter.”

“After the meeting, Rep. Defensor reached out again and I recognized that he was trying to light a fire about the term sharing decision that came out of the meeting last Monday. I played dumb to end the conversation,” Carpio said.

The feisty mayor said: “Should I have anything to say about what happened on July 8, I will not cowardly hide behind an alleged ‘panawagan’ (appeal).”

In a report published on the Philippines News Agency, Defensor issued a statement to the presidential daughter asking for an apology “if I have in any way offended her with my statement.”

The lawmaker still did not reveal the name of the text message but he added that “I did not say it came from her or a congressman.”

“In fact, I should not have shown it because reading it again, it had Inday Sara’s name. I did say though that there was another person who got the same message. I apologize, Ma’am, if I have offended you,” Defensor said. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)