Romualdez camp: False claim of jailbreak shows danger of unverified info

MANILA, Philippines — False claim by columnist Ramon Tulfo that Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez could get in and out of jail highlights the danger of publicizing unverified information, as the detained lawmaker’s legal counsel noted that the damage had already been done before the remarks were retracted.

In a statement on Thursday, Romualdez’s lawyer, Ade Fajardo, said Tulfo’s admission that the claims he made on Facebook were fictional was a welcome development. However, he lamented that the allegations had already been widely circulated.

Tulfo claimed that Romualdez, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives who is currently detained at the New Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory, had been making unauthorized movements in and out of the detention facility, prompting the Sandiganbayan Third Division to conduct a hearing to look into the matter.

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“We welcome Mr. Ramon Tulfo’s public acknowledgment that the allegations he circulated concerning former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez’s supposed unauthorized movements outside his detention facility were false.  Mr. Tulfo has admitted that he was fed incorrect information, failed to independently verify it, and subsequently passed it on to the public,” Fajardo said.

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“We appreciate Mr. Tulfo’s willingness to acknowledge his mistake publicly. It takes responsibility to correct an erroneous report, especially after it has gained widespread attention.  At the same time, the incident demonstrates the serious harm that can result when unverified information is presented to the public as established fact,” he added.

READ: Court to BJMP: Did you let Romualdez out?

According to Fajardo, while the allegations against Romualdez are mere lies, repetitive mention of such claims may appear as truth.

“He has now described the allegations as fiction.  This public retraction is significant, particularly because the allegations had already circulated widely and subjected our client to public suspicion and criticism,” Fajardo said.

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“Ang kasinungalingan, kapag paulit-ulit na ipinakalat, ay maaaring magmukhang katotohanan. Pero sa huli, ang katotohanan pa rin ang dapat manaig. We hope this serves as a reminder that allegations, particularly those involving persons facing judicial proceedings, must be verified before they are published or repeated,” he noted.

(Lies, if said repeatedly, may appear as the truth.  But in the end, only the truth should prevail.  We hope this serves as a reminder that allegations, particularly those involving persons facing judicial proceedings, must be verified before they are published or repeated.)

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In a separate Facebook post, Tulfo admitted that his expose was erroneous, adding that he was fed the wrong information.  Tulfo previously claimed that he got reports that Romualdez was “riding in an ambulance and the brownouts taking place so he would not be seen going out and coming back in.”

The retraction comes after Romualdez camp sent a letter to Tulfo on Wednesday.

“No such thing happened when the facts started coming in yesterday. It was fiction. I goofed. No excuses. I should have first checked and cross-checked that report I received on Romualdez,” Tulfo added.

READ: Ramon Tulfo admits error in Romualdez exposé

Romualdez is currently detained for plunder cases before the Sandiganbayan, stemming from alleged kickbacks from infrastructure projects worth P7.44 billion.

Aside from the Sandiganbayan, even Malacañang — headed by Romualdez’s cousin, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. — reminded authorities to uphold their duties and refrain from violating the law following Tulfo’s allegations.

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) has maintained that the claims were untrue, showing copies of a closed-circuit television camera footage showing Romualdez walking inside the said facility.

Fajardo said Tulfo’s recantation is consistent with a BJMP’s official’s testimony.

“It is also consistent with the categorical testimony of Jail Superintendent Pacion, who denied that Mr. Romualdez had been leaving the detention facility or using an ambulance or other vehicle for unauthorized trips,” he said.

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“Mr. Romualdez remains under lawful detention and continues to respect the authority of the court and the rules of the detention facility,” he added. /jpv