Noveleta, Cavite mayor denies spreading fake news over COVID-19

The Mayor of Noveleta, Cavite has dismissed accusations that he is spreading "fake news" by reporting false information regarding a COVID-19 case in Cavite City, claiming that the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act is being used for "politics."

"Ang nakakalungkot nga du'n nagamit sa politika po ito. So the Bayanihan Act Heal as One Law na pinasa para sana sa pag-aayos ng ating mga cases sa COVID ay ginagamit sa politika. Ito pa naman 'yung kauna-unahang kaso na ginamit 'yung Bayanihan Act pero ginamit ito sa paninira ng isang politiko," Mayor Dino Reyes Chua told GMA News Online.

Chua pointed to Cavite City Mayor Bernardo Paredes as the one who filed the complaint against him. 

"At 'yun nga, sila ang may kapalpakan sa pagre-report nila ng mga COVID positive doon sa lugar nila. Siyempre katabing-bayan namin 'yun eh. So 'pag meron pong mga COVID case sa kanila, damay din po kami. Nagagalit siya na bakit daw parang nauunahan ko siya sa pag-report ng mga COVID patients nila," he said.

"So nagreklamo siya na 'fake news' daw 'yung mga pinamamalita ko which is, turned out to be true. Kasi meron pong namatay na COVID patient doon sa Cavite City, in fact sa Cavite Medical Center, ang ni-report po nila ay taga-Makati daw po 'yun. Hindi daw dapat mag-alala dahil 'yung namatay na pasyente ay hindi naman daw taga-doon, na-confine lang sa ospital, 'yun daw ay taga-Makati. But nu'ng inimbestigahan namin, hindi po taga-Makati 'yun, in fact balikbayan 'yun pero nag-aral siya sa Cavite City nu'ng high school, noong elementarya, nag-reunion pa. So meaning talagang tubong Cavite City siya," he added.

"Bakit nila imi-mislead 'yung mga tao na sabihin nila na taga-Makati daw 'yun? Nag-hotel lang siya sa Makati kasi nga balikbayan siya, pero Caviteño talaga 'yun. Doon nagsimula 'yung aming away," Chua said.

Sought for comment, Paredes denied that he filed a complaint against Chua.

"Wala naman akong fina-file eh... Wala akong alam na fina-file kong kaso... Wala eh, wala. Ako ha, personally wala eh. Hindi sa akin, hindi sa city government," he said.

"Personally ako hindi, sigurado ako," Paredes added.

No case

At the same time, Chua clarified that a "case" has already been filed against him for alleged violation of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.

"'Yung PNP already clarified na wala pa naman case talaga na nafa-file against me. So actually, they just received a complaint and a complaint is merely just a complaint until it is decided by the prosecutor's office to become a case," Chua said.

"Ang abogado ko pa nga is Atty. Harry Roque nu'ng hindi pa siya nababalik bilang spokesman na hindi pa 'yan kaso, nagreklamo lang 'yung Mayor ng Cavite City. Pero hindi naman binigyang halaga ng Prosecutor's Office, which is up to now, wala pa namang kaso," Chua added.

"In fact wala akong nare-receive na kahit anong kaso from the PNP or whatever agency. So walang kaso pa talaga," the Noveleta Mayor said.

GMA News Online sought the PNP- Anti-Cybercrime Group for comment, but the agency referred the matter to the Cavite City Prosecutor's Office.

Cavite City Prosecutor Fiorel Britanico told GMA News Online the complaint remains pending at their level.

In March, the PNP said it filed a complaint against Chua and other personalities for the alleged fak" reports and social media posts of a purported COVID-19 case in Cavite City. — RSJ