AGAP Party-list Representative Nicanor Briones admitted that he was the lawmaker seen watching an e-sabong video on his phone during the opening of the 20th Congress on July 28.
In a press conference, Briones apologized for the incident but clarified that he was not participating in online gambling. He said the video was sent to him via Facebook Messenger and he only opened it briefly.
“Sa totoo lang, may nag message sa’kin sa Messenger. So, tinignan ko lang naman. Hindi ko naman akalain na meron palang magkukuha ng aking mga private messages. Nagulat na lang ako, dahil alam ko naman merong hindi dapat tinitignan. Pero okay lang ‘yon, dahil malinis naman konsensya ko, ‘di ako nagsasabong. ‘Di mo ako makikita sa sabungan,” he said.
He also denied allegations that he transferred money online, calling the claims “fake news.”
Briones said he does not use e-wallets or online payment platforms, describing himself as “old school.”
The lawmaker said he has forgiven the person who took the video and spread the footage, but warned them not to repeat the act.
Briones expressed embarrassment over the controversy and apologized to House Speaker Martin Romualdez, saying the incident may have cast a negative image on the House of Representatives.
Earlier this week, Briones drew criticism after being caught on video watching an online cockfighting match while voting for the next House Speaker. His identity was initially unclear, as the footage only showed his back, but a closer shot revealed details of an e-sabong match with the text “1st Fight Left Side” and “2nd Fight Right Side.”
