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Camarines Sur Second District Representative LRay Villafuerte has vehemently denied allegations circulating on social media that he and his son, Camarines Sur Governor Luigi Villafuerte, were vacationing in Siargao during the onslaught of Typhoon Kristine, which has caused widespread flooding in the Bicol region and claimed several lives.
Villafuerte addressed the accusations through a lengthy post on his official Facebook page, accusing his political rivals of spreading “fake news” to tarnish their reputation. The congressman dismissed the claims that he and his son were neglecting their duties during the crisis, stating that these were part of a smear campaign.
The controversy stemmed from a photo circulating online, which shows LRay, Luigi, and actress Yassi Pressman, Luigi’s girlfriend, in Siargao. Villafuerte clarified that the photo was taken during a gathering with youth leaders on a Saturday, and everyone involved had returned to Camarines Sur by Monday, ahead of Typhoon Kristine’s landfall.
While the entire Bicol region is submerged in floodwaters and in desperate need of help and rescue, Camarines Sur Governor Luigi Villafuerte and his girlfriend, Yassi Pressman, were spotted in Siargao. #KristinePh pic.twitter.com/bUo4yAzfzP
— Pablo (@ohohpablo) October 23, 2024
“’Yan picture na kinakalat nila ngayon daw o kahapon nasa siargao kami kasama ang mga sk sa ibat ibang bayan ng camsur . Yan photo in siargao posted kahapon or today was taken Saturday at lahat ng sk nakabalik na ng camsur Monday bago pa nag bagyo,” Villafuerte explained.
The congressman also criticized his rivals for exploiting the calamity for political gain, accusing them of focusing on spreading false information rather than helping those affected by the disaster.
“Ngayon panahon ng kalamidad Dapat lahat nag tutulungan at Nagkakaisa , kaya lang ang mga desperado , mga sinungaling at mga ulol namin na mga kalaban nag papalabas ng fake news sa kanilang mga fake accounts na ako daw at si gov luigi ay nasa siargao daw ngayon habang ang Ating mga kababayan ay nag hihirap sa baha!,” Villafuerte said in his post.
Dear people of Camarines Sur, you don’t need the Villafuertes who have lorded it over you since the 1960s. And helped cause flooding by logging heavily. Toss them out. They need a much-needed break in Siargao. And you need a break from their misgovernance. pic.twitter.com/aI75FokCXd
— Raissa Robles (@raissawriter) October 24, 2024
He further compared his family’s response to the typhoon with that of their political opponents, noting that while others were posting about problems and asking for donations, he and his family were actively coordinating rescue and relief efforts, providing rubber boats, and seeking help from national agencies.
“Para kontrahin ang mga fake news at panira , Ngayon araw , tuloy tuloy post ko ng mga updates para malaman ng mga Tao ang walang hinto naming mga gawa at Aksyon , kung Pwede lang every 5 minutes mag post kami updates dahil tuloy tuloy rescue at relief operations namin,” Villafuerte added, emphasizing their ongoing relief operations.
tao po tayo, hindi tilapia #KristinePH pic.twitter.com/Xg8fhbZtYQ
— FTTM (@FTTM_PH) October 24, 2024
The issue has also dragged actress Yassi Pressman into the spotlight, as some netizens criticized her, accusing her of being in Siargao with Luigi during the disaster. Despite the backlash, both Yassi and Governor Luigi have remained silent on the matter, leaving LRay Villafuerte to defend the family amid the growing social media controversy.
