MANILA, Philippines — Former Senate president Juan Miguel Zubiri is planning to file cyberlibel cases against certain personalities spreading unsubstantiated claims of his ownership of a house in Forbes Park, private airplanes, jets and helicopters, suggesting that all these were acquired through corruption.
Refuting the black propaganda intended to tarnish the good name he has built over years as a public servant, Zubiri said that these claims, which came in the form of videos spreading rumors posted on social media, were perfectly timed to coincide with his ouster as the leader of the Senate.
“They came out with a first set of videos two months ago, in the first attempt to unseat me. When that failed, they produced a part-two video, which was released during the week of the second attempt. The timing is impeccable,” he added.
The senator noted that the videos indicated his ownership of a house in Forbes Park, as well as private airplanes, jets and helicopters, suggesting that he acquired such assets through corruption.
“It’s an obvious attempt to discredit my leadership and taint my name. And they’re funneling huge amounts of money into this campaign – from production to promotion,” Zubiri said.
“So, to whomever’s spreading these lies to make it look like I’m pocketing government money to buy mansions and jets, these are totally false. I hope they’re ready because I will be filing cases and will not stop until justice prevails. There’s no truth to that,” he declared, even challenging these fake news peddlers that if they can find a house in his name in Forbes, they can have it.
The former Senate president revealed that he bought his current house, which is not in Forbes, in 2009, as indicated in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth or SALN.
As for the private aircraft, he explained that his obligations as a senator, especially during his time as Senate president, sometimes required him to borrow private aircraft to attend functions on a tight schedule.
The rumors also mentioned Zubiri building a resort in Camiguin, but the senator admitted its existence.
“This is not a private hideaway, and you can find the property in my SALN,” he said.
“I am now building a small resort there, because I believe in the beauty of Camiguin and Northern Mindanao, and I want to help make it a top tourist destination here in the Philippines,” he added, even pointing out that as an entrepreneur, he has the capability.
The Zubiri family is from the province of Bukidnon and has long been involved in sugar milling and pineapple farming.
The senator himself is also a major player in the industrial ice industry in Iloilo and Cagayan de Oro, as well as the renewable energy industry in his home province.
“We have income, and it’s all in my SALN. And we pay all our taxes,” he said. “I always encourage aspiring politicians to have their own sources of income separate from public service. So that there is no temptation in the public treasury.”
Zubiri also took pride in having been in politics for a long time and maintaining a clean record.
“We don’t have scandals with the people’s money. Are we in the Napoles scandal? Nope. Because we did not agree to put public money in private foundations,” he explained.
The former Senate president recalled that during his time in the House of Representatives, he was approached by two different individuals to sign his name over for a P5-million payday tied to the liquid fertilizer scam. He angrily turned down both offers.
“I am proud that I was never part of those PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) and fertilizer scams in previous administrations,” he said.
Chiz dreamt of top Senate post
Senate President Francis Escudero yesterday admitted that he dreamt of assuming the third highest government position in the country, but insisted that President Marcos had no prior knowledge about the change in leadership in the chamber.
Escudero initially told reporters that he would not comment on Marcos’ pronouncement that he was basically informed about the change in the Senate presidency every step of the way.
“Not anymore,” Escudero said when asked in an interview whether he would want to comment on the President’s statement.
Escudero, however, elaborated: “In fact, I think I mentioned (my interest in the Senate presidency) to President Marcos during his new term when I congratulated him (in 2022).”
“But it did not happen as that was just a dream back then,” he said
Marcos earlier said that while he had no hand in the recent change of leadership in the Senate, he had been “informed every step of the way.”
“Actually, it was Senator Chiz. The minute he started thinking about it, he already brought it up, and he said, I think I am going to try to be the SP (Senate president),” he said at a press conference in Brunei last Wednesday.
After Marcos assumed office, senators elected Zubiri as the Senate president in the 19th Congress with 22 votes, which is a supermajority.
There were only two minority senators: Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III and Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
Last May 22 or days before the 19th Congress went on sine die adjournment, however, Zubiri resigned from the Senate presidency as 15 senators signed a resolution calling for a change in Senate leadership.
Meanwhile, the so-called Solid 7 – Zubiri, Senators Joel Villanueva, Loren Legarda, Sonny Angara, Sherwin Gatchalian, JV Ejercito and Nancy Binay – has yet to decide whether to join the minority bloc or remain independent.
Traditionally, when a change in the Senate presidency takes place, those who side with the ousted leader would join the minority. The seven have yet to announce their decision.
Escudero maintained there is only one Senate composed of 24 senators. He said that the seven senators still technically belonged to the majority as they have yet to manifest their positions on the floor.
Villanueva agreed with Escudero, noting that there is a process to declare their position in the plenary, which would also affect the composition of the committee leadership since the minority should be represented in every committee.