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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Tambunting on SMNI anchors' hunger strike: Solons are 'used to this'

Tambunting on SMNI anchors' hunger strike: Solons are 'used to this'

Published Dec 8, 2023 11:31 am

At A Glance

  • Parañaque City 2nd district Rep. Gus Tambunting has seemingly brushed off the hunger strike being carried out by SMNI program anchors Jeffrey "Ka Eric" Celiz and Lorraine Badoy.

IMG-afd48965e11488d850bbff65dd6752e7-V.jpgParañaque City 2nd district Rep. Gus Tambunting (PPAB)

Congressmen are used to it.

Thus, said Parañaque City 2nd district Rep. Gus Tambunting as he seemingly brushed off the hunger strike being carried out by SMNI program anchors Jeffrey "Ka Eric" Celiz and Lorraine Badoy.

"That’s their prerogative. Prerogative po nila yun, ginagalang po natin ang decision nila (That's their prerogative, we respect their decision)," Tambunting said in a recent interview when asked about the duo's hunger strike.

Friday, Dec. 8, is the third day of the hunger strike that being staged by Celiz and Badoy inside their detention area at the House of Representatives.

Last Dec. 5, the Tambunting-chaired House Committee on Legislative Franchises ordered the two anchors detained after being cited in contempt by the panel members.

The citation resulted from the duo's apparent refusal to tell the truth during the committee hearing that delved on possible franchise violations of SMNI. And by the looks of it, Celiz and Badoy could stay in House custody until early next year.

Asked if the "hunger protest" would be enough to sway the House panel into releasing them, Tambunting said, "That's a committee decision. Yan po e sa committee namin ay maraming (As far as our committee is concerned, there are many)--they are used to this."

CLICK HERE:

https://mb.com.ph/2023/12/8/the-simple-reason-why-celiz-can-t-invoke-the-sotto-law

At any rate, Tambunting said he doesn't really know what the purpose of the hunger strike was.

"We really don't know what their intentions are, if that is done to persuade the committee. I can't really answer you."

Celiz and Badoy are the co-anchors of "Laban Kasama Ang Bayan", daily program over at SMNI. On Nov. 27, they floated the allegation that House Speaker Martin Romualdez had spent P1.8 billion on his travels.

The Tambunting panel would prove this as fake news in a hearing three days later, when solon confronted Celiz with records from the House financial department.

Related Tags

gus tambunting SMNI lorraine badoy hunger strike Jeffrey "Ka Eric" Celiz
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