Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 27) — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has denied a Facebook post alleging Secretary Roy Cimatu’s recent trip to Cebu City incurred huge hotel accommodation expenses.
The post in question was made by former Commission on Filipinos Overseas chairperson Imelda Nicolas, the department said in a statement on Saturday.
Nicolas started her status by indicating it is a post of a certain Alvi Cordero. “70 rooms reserved @ Seda hotel for Cimatu’s team. Cheapest room is @5k. That’s 350,000 a day. For 1 week that’s 2.240m. This is just rooms. Cost of accommodation,” it said. The post went on to say food and transportation expenses have yet to be factored in aside from accommodation costs. “How many PPEs and test kits can that buy? How many sacks of rice can that buy?,” it read.
“Is this how you rid yourself of blame? Is this how you save lives?” asked the status.
DENR Spokesperson and Undersecretary Benny Antiporda also came to Cimatu’s defense and refuted the said claims in the Laging Handa virtual briefing on Saturday morning.
Cimatu, who was assigned by President Rodrigo Duterte to lead the COVID-19 fight in Cebu City, only stayed there for two days, explained the environment official. The Environment chief was only accompanied by his aide, meaning the accusation that the number of reserved rooms reached to 70 is nonsense, he added.
“Hindi po totoo iyan at hindi po marangyang tao si Secretary Cimatu, dati po itong sundalo at kung ano po iyong matitipid ng taumbayan ay ginagawa po niya para po magamit sa tama ang pondo po ng kaban ng bayan,” said Antiporda.
[Translation: That is not true and Secretary (Roy) Cimatu is not an extravagant person. He was a former soldier and he will do everything he can to ensure thrifty spending of public funds so these may be used correctly.]
“So, huwag po tayong maniniwala sa mga ganiyang mga tsismis, iyan po ay isang paninira para sirain po iyong kredibilidad ng ating Kalihim Roy Cimatu,” he added.
[Translation: Let’s not believe such gossip, for it is an attempt to destroy our Secretary Roy Cimatu’s credibility.]
Antiporda likewise said the agency is looking into filing a cyber libel against Nicolas for spreading false information on social media, read the DENR’s statement.
