Blogger Apologizes to NBI Chief, Wife Over False Property Claim

Blogger Sass Sasot has formally apologized to National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag and his wife, Laguna Rep. Ann Matibag, for falsely claiming on social media that they owned a property in the United States worth over $1 million. In a Facebook post, Sasot explained that the property at Baldwin Place in California was not owned by the couple as she had initially stated. She clarified that her initial post on July 22 was based on information from Homes.com, a US online residential real estate marketplace, which listed the property as owned by a couple named ‘Melvin Matibag and Anna Marie Matibag’. Upon cross-verification with other public records in the United States, Sasot found that these individuals were not NBI Director Melvin Alvarez Matibag and Congresswoman Ann Lourdes Garcia Matibag. She identified the property owner as Melvin Benjoso Matibag and the corresponding spouse as Anna Marie Laman Matibag. “I apologize to NBI Director Melvin Matibag and Congresswoman Ann Matibag for this error. The original post has already been retracted," Sasot stated. At a press conference, Director Matibag categorically denied owning any property abroad. "We don't have properties abroad. All our properties are declared in my SALN. And you can get a copy of my SALN. It's all there," he said, labeling the claim as "totally fake news." Matibag suggested that the allegations were intended to undermine his credibility as a witness for the House prosecution panel in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. He had testified regarding allegations that Duterte violated the Constitution, committed high crimes, and betrayed public trust by contracting for the alleged assassination of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and others. Source: GMA News Philippines