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Cayetano vows to unmask personalities behind ‘operation’ to ensure SEA Games failure


Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday vowed to unmask the personalities behind a supposed operation to ensure the failure of the country's staging of the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

In an interview with reporters in San Juan City, Cayetano said he was informed that there was an "operation" that intentionally spreads "fake news" regarding the Philippines' SEA Games hosting.

He added that there was even an attempt to bribe media outlets to ensure that these false information would be published.

"We have our own analytics and our own metrics system, and that's available to you, it was only four or five websites na nagtapon ng mga fake news, paulit-ulit. So ano tawag mo doon?" Cayetano said.

"Even ilan sa mga media, umamin na sa amin na may umaagos na pera para siraan ang SEA Games. I don't know [how much] because these were just told to me by close friends and they told me, buti na lang walang tumatanggap kasi for the country ito," he added.

Cayetano chairs the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC), a private foundation overseeing the regional biennial games.

FULL COVERAGE: 30th Southeast Asian Games on GMA News Online

'Fake news'

Cayetano claimed that none of these media outlets which published "fake news" reported about clarifications on the mishaps experienced during the SEA Games hosting.

"Has any of these sites I'm talking about come out with the explanation of Century Park or of the hotel kung saan nila sinabi yung kikiam, hindi. Because they want to perpetuate the lie," he said.

"Every single mistake, pinapalaki, which is okay kung totoo. Pero marami talaga hindi," he added.

Cayetano said that while he is willing to be investigated for the blunders in the SEA Games hosting, the people behind the "operation" should also get ready for the probe he will launch against them.

"Basta't handa ako sa imbestigation after the SEA Games. Humanda din kayo sa imbestigasyon kasi ia-unmask ko rin kayo," he said.

"I-expose ko lang sila. Pabayaan ko na ang Pilipino na buweltahan sila," he added.

He said he may also file charges against these personalities for spreading fake news.

"Yung mga nag-violate ng law na umabot sa libel and cyberlibel, yes. It's the obligation," Cayetano said.

"Anything that tries to smear my name or any personality okay lang kasi personal yun. But you try to smear the name of the SEA Games or of the country, dapat naman humarap ka," he added. — RSJ, GMA News

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