GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines — Boxing champion and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao denied a report he was going to file a P30 million libel suit against ABS-CBN for showing the wrong photo of his sister linked to illegal gambling.
?Wala akong sinabing ganun,? Pacquiao said.
A report by Jerry Adlaw of Journal.com on August 4 said Pacquiao was planning to file a case against the network for mistakenly showing the photograph of younger sister Liza Onding, instead of Isidra Pacquiao-Paglinawan, in a television report about an anti-gambling operation in one of the houses of the Pacquiaos in the city.
The network showed the photo of Isidra the following day and also issued an apology to the Pacquiao family.
General Santos City police earlier raided the house of Isidra on suspicion that it was being used for ?Last 2? gambling operation.
“Last 2” is an illegal gambling scheme wherein bettors pick the last 2 digits of winning lotto numbers.
Arrested during the raid were 26 suspected ?ushers? who allegedly operate the scheme. They were later released after their petition for bail was granted.
Also confiscated during the raid of Isidra’s house were alleged gambling proceeds and paraphernalia.
Pacquiao?s father, Rosaleo, had denied his family’s involvement in illegal gambling.
Rosaleo alleged that the 26 ushers picked up by the police were merely his birthday guests. He said he was having a celebration in his house adjacent to his daughter?s residence.
Pacquiao said he has no plan to meddle in the investigations and that the police is free to probe his sister.
?Kung may kinalaman siya dito e…kung kailangan niyang…kung may kasalanan siya, e di parusahan. Ganoon naman ako, walang pinipili,? he said in an earlier interview.
The family’s lawyer, Atty. Giovanni Mata, said they were going to file a counter-affidavit to the illegal gambling case lodged against Isidra. — With a report from Jay Dayupay, ABS-CBN News Soksargen
