Lacierda, Valte deny ties to #SilentNoMore page

Communication officials of the Aquino administration have denied owning the #SilentNoMore Facebook page that alleged that 7 senators "declined" to sign a resolution denouncing the killing of minors under the government's bloody war on drugs.

"I categorically say that I have nothing to do with the 7 sens (7 senators article)," former Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told lawmakers during the Senate committee on public information and mass media hearing on fake news.

"I do not own the blog, I do not contribute to the blog. I do not know the people behind these particular groups," former deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said.

"All my assets are named. My face is always there when I write for newspapers, my name is also there. My Facebook account is also verified, same thing with my Twitter. If and when I have spoken about government and political personalities, I have done it through my named assets," Valte added.

The congressional inquiry was launched after Senators Richard Gordon, Gregorio Honasan, Cynthia Villar, Miguel Zubiri, and Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III drew flak after the #SilentNoMore page implied that they supported extrajudicial killings.

Villar earlier tagged Lacierda and Valte, along with Cocoy Dayao, Melissa Limcaoco, and Leah Navarro as owners of the controversial opposition Facebook page.

"This research was just given to me. I did not ask for this. It was mailed to me," Villar, who was among the 7 senators who allegedly refused to sign the anti-extrajudicial killing resolution, said.

Valte said Dayao once volunteered for the presidential campaign of former President Benigno Aquino III, but was never given a job at the Communications office. Navarro, in a Twitter post, said she has "no connection to SilentNoMore."

Lacierda and Valte slammed a certain Mark Lopez, who "floated" the names of Aquino allies as the group behind the #SilentNoMore page.

"You're entitled to your own opinion but you cannot be entitled to your own facts," Valte said.

Lopez said he merely "asked" a question without intending to field "baseless accusations."

Senator Grace Poe, chair of the Senate committee on public information and mass media, told Lopez and other bloggers present in the congressional hearing to be careful with information they circulate online.

"If it is not verified and the question is vague, we might be misled," Poe said.-- Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News