Senator Risa Hontiveros has denied allegations of bribery made by Michael Maurilio, a witness in a previous Senate hearing, while Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa disassociated himself from a viral video circulating online.
In the video, a man identifying himself as Maurilio—also known as alias “Rene”—alleged he received ₱500,000 from Hontiveros to name former President Rodrigo Duterte, Vice President Sara Duterte, and Pastor Apollo Quiboloy in his affidavit. He further claimed an additional ₱500,000 was paid after he included Duterte and Sara in his testimony.
Maurilio had testified during a Senate inquiry into Quiboloy, the leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC).
Hontiveros rejected the accusations as baseless. Her office stated they have collected sufficient evidence to disprove the claims and are preparing a legal response. Her camp described the issue as a form of harassment and intimidation.
Senator Dela Rosa, meanwhile, expressed outrage at the content of the video and said he could not understand how such actions could be carried out. He also denounced the effort to falsely link his name to the controversy, calling it fabricated and deliberate.
Both senators asserted that the individuals behind the video and the accusations must be held accountable.
