Nicanor Briones loses CA membership after watching e-sabong during 20th Congress opening
AGAP Party-list Rep. Nicanor Briones lost his membership in the Commission on Appointments after he was seen watching an e-sabong match during the opening of the 20th Congress on July 28.
The Philippine STAR, citing an anonymous source, reported that Briones, as part of the minority bloc, was supposed to be its representative in the 12-member contingent of the CA.
“But this issue came along. And he admitted being in the picture. That’s why he was replaced by Rep. Allan Ty of party-list LPGMA,” the source said.
Serving as a member of the House contingent in the CA comes with certain benefits, including additional funding for the representative, extra office space, and additional staff who receive extra compensation—on top of their regular salaries and allowances.
In a press conference on July 28, Briones admitted to being the lawmaker in the viral photos and apologized to the public. He, however, pointed out that he's not engaging in e-sabong.
"Sa totoo lang, may nagmessage sa 'kin sa Messenger. So, tiningnan ko lang naman," he said, adding that his conscience was clean and that nobody can find him in cockpits.
"Para bang pinalalabas nila na wala akong ginagawa... ang haba ng botohan," he said, referring to when he was caught in the act during the voting session for the next House Speaker. (19th Congress House Speaker Martin Romualdez was re-elected in the 20th Congress by a landslide with 269 votes.)
"Nahihiya ako kay Speaker [Martin Romualdez], parang nababahiran ng hindi magandang image ang Kongreso, kaya ako humarap... Ako naman ay humihingi ng pasensya," he added.
He dismissed claims about him transferring money online as "fake news," arguing that he doesn't have e-wallet accounts since he's "old school."
The sabong photo came amid the missing sabungeros issue that has been intensifying for weeks.
Authorities have been looking for their remains at the Taal Lake, which allegedly served as a dumping ground for over 100 missing cockfight enthusiasts. They found sacks containing bones and sand, and have yet to wrap up their investigation.
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., in his fourth State of the Nation Address, vowed that the people behind the abduction and disappearance of the sabungeros will be held accountable.
The incident also happened amid growing concerns about online gambling, with some lawmakers looking for stricter measures and others a total ban on all its forms.
