Who is Terry Ridon trolling with his 'mangoes and wig' post?
At A Glance
- Rep. Terry Ridon mocked allegations of receiving cash-filled luggages by posting a Facebook photo of a suitcase containing mangoes and wigs, captioned "Maleta pa more."
- His name, along with other House members supportive of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment, was mentioned by 18 ex-Marines during the June 4 Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on alleged flood control project payoffs.
- Ridon denied the claims, calling them lies, and stressed that the House prosecution panel will proceed with presenting the truth in Duterte's Senate impeachment trial despite attempts to divert attention.
Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon (Ellson Quismorio / MANILA BULLETIN)
Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon made a rather cryptic--but clearly comedic--post on Facebook Friday, June 5 wherein he uploaded a photo of a luggage ("maleta") filled with ripe mangoes and a wig collection for men.
This was a day after Ridon' name and those of other House members supportive of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment were mentioned by the so-called 18 Marine-bagmen during a controversial Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing.
Allegedly, Ridon along with the others benefited from the flood control projects corruption scandal, and they purportedly received millions in cash inside luggages that were delivered to them by the ex-soldiers.
The lawyer-legislator simply mocked this accusation with his Facebook post, wherein he wrote, "Maleta pa more."
But this leaves the big question of who was Ridon trolling with his post, if indeed he was?
(Terry Ridon's Facebook)
Active during the controversial Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing Thursday, June 4 were Senator Rodante Marcoleta, Senator Imee Marcos, and Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.
Ridon, a member of the House prosecution panel in Vice President Sara Duterte's upcoming Senate impeachment trial, denied the payoff claims in a statement Thursday afternoon.
"Kasinungalingan ang testimonya ni Jowly Cadiao. Walang maleta na idineliver sa akin sa kahit anumang panahon o sa kahit saan mang lugar (Jowly Cadiao’s testimony is a lie. No suitcase was ever delivered to me at any time or in any place)," said Ridon.
"Tandaan: Tuloy ang impeachment trial. Walang kasinungalingan o gawa-gawang testimonya ang makapipigil sa House prosecution panel na magtuloy sa paglalahad ng katotohanan sa paglilitis ng Pangalawang Pangulo," he added.
(Remember: The impeachment trial will push through. No falsehood or fabricated testimony will stop the House prosecution panel from presenting the truth in the trial of the Vice President.)
Members of the House majority--which flexed its muscle to impeach Duterte for a second time last May 11--believe the flood control projects payoffs issue was being revived in the Senate as a way to divert attention from Duterte's upcoming trial.