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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Umamin ka na please': Flores tells viral 'sabong' watcher to come out, spare House of bad press

'Umamin ka na please': Flores tells viral 'sabong' watcher to come out, spare House of bad press

Published Jul 30, 2025 03:21 pm

At A Glance

  • Bukidnon 2nd district Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores said the viral "sabong" watcher in House plenary should voluntarily admit his faux pas and apologize.
Bukidnon 2nd district Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores (Contributed photo)
Bukidnon 2nd district Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores (Contributed photo)


Bukidnon 2nd district Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores said the viral "sabong" watcher in House plenary should voluntarily admit his faux pas and apologize.
Flores, in an interview Wednesday, July 30, said a voluntary admission would spare the rest the House of Representatives of the public's unsavory speculation that some or all congressmen watch--or worse--play online sabong or cockfighting within the plenary hall, of all places.
"Siguro yeah (Perhaps yeah), I think that would be the best course of action, na umamin at mag apologize ka sa taumbayan na (for his to admit and apologize to the people that) it was something that should not have been done, and with the promise that he will not be doing that again," he said.
"Para at least man lang ma-soften yung impact no sa photo na yun (So that at the very least it will soften the impact of that photo)," Flores noted.
During plenary session Monday, July 28, an alleged male House member spotted watching online sabong or cockfighting on his phone. News cameras took his picture from behind, with his phone screen in full view.
It was during this particular plenary session that solons voted for the House Speaker of the 20th Congress.
"But then again we must first confirm that it was a member of the House and it was done while the session was ongoing," reckoned Flores, the chairman of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs.
He said he had no idea who the person was.
"Kung ako ah, personally, I think it would be best if ma-identify yun. Kasi it could be anyone di ba? Parang pangit naman kung lahat kami pagdududahan na kami yun or something like that," Flores said.
(If it were up to me, personally, I think it would be best if we could identified him. Because it could be anyone, right? It wouldn’t be good if we were all suspected of being the one, or something like that.)
"While it might be very unfortunate kung totoo man yun na kongresista yun, na nakunan ng picture doing that, it's also siguro a wake up call no na dapat, you have to follow the proper decorum din while we are in session or while we are in plenary. Kasi sobrang pangit po ng image that it will create if there will be photos like that circulating," added the Mindanaoan.
(While it might be very unfortunate if it’s true that it was a congressman who was caught in a photo doing that, it’s also perhaps a wake-up call that you have to follow proper decorum while we are in session or while we are in plenary. Because it will really create a bad image
if there will be photos like that circulating.)
Flores said that House members are still trying to "improve their image" after being made to look unfavorable in the eyes of the public.
"So it further tarnishes that image instead of improving it...Iwasan sana natin yung
mga ganun situation (so let's just avoid those situations)," he said.
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