Comedian Ethel Booba and pro-administration blogger Sass Rogando Sasot were involved in another online exchange that appeared to have stemmed from the Lopez family’s supposed debt to the government.
The blogger posted a screenshot of Ethel replying to a Twitter user on May 27, Monday.
Sasot also linked an opinion piece dated Nov. 7, 2011 that talked about the supposed loans granted by the Development Bank of the Philippines to the Lopezes and mentioned Ethel’s name.
“Hi Ethel Booba! Ano raw masasabi mo sa utang ng mga Lopezes sa ating gobyerno? Tablahin na lang natin?” Sasot wrote in her post.
On Twitter, Ethel was referring to an unnamed political personality who is in favor of the non-renewal of the franchise of Lopez-run television network ABS-CBN.
The station’s franchise is up for renewal in 2020 through congressional proceedings.
Chusera sya! Parte siya ng gobyerno sunod excited siya na magsarado ang ABS-CBN kung saan madaming magiging unemployed. As if may mabibigay siyang trabaho sa libo libong manggagawa doon. Charot! https://t.co/VLvzsa3zEG
— Ethel Booba (@IamEthylGabison) May 28, 2019
Ethel, in responding to several of her Twitter followers, also admitted that she’s working for the station.
Channel 2. Kaya yung excited dyan na ipasarado ang channel namin eh isarado nya bibig nya. Charot! https://t.co/Rdr3D9DmoU
— Ethel Booba (@IamEthylGabison) May 27, 2019
“Kaya ‘yung excited diyan na ipasarado ang channel namin eh isarado niya ang bibig niya. Charot!” the comedian wrote.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Wag daw ganun hindi yun ang nais niyang ibig sabihin.#Charot
— Ⓨ✍️ (@_yyyyyyyyyyy_) May 27, 2019
This prompted Sasot to join the conversation and reply on Facebook.
The piece Sasot shared claimed that the loans granted by state-owned DBP to various corporations belonging to the Lopezes had amounted to “more than P1.6 billion.”
No standing obligations
Lopez Holdings Corp., however, stated in August 2017 that it “does not have any unpaid obligations to the Development Bank of the Philippines or other government financial institutions.”
This was reiterated by Lopez Holdings Corp. President Salvador Tirona who said that the loans were only “part of consortia that included many other banks.”
“The fact [is] DBP provided loans to Lopez Group companies only as part of consortia that included many other banks,” he said before.
“All debts incurred were provided by institutions that had all the time and the opportunity to review our investment portfolio, and had the same opportunity to refuse us credit,” Tirona added.
Nevertheless, Ethel replied to Sasot’s Facebook post.
“Please read some of my tweets na sabi ko if may totoong utang, edi pagbayarin para ‘di mag-suffer mga employees nila,” the comedienne wrote.
Hi Miss @srsasot please read some of my tweets na sabi ko if may totoong utang edi pagbayarin para di magsuffer mga employees nila. Hello bakit ako matatakot di makatungtong sa Dos ano sila langit? Charot! pic.twitter.com/XKZSuBcZgf
— Ethel Booba (@IamEthylGabison) June 3, 2019
Hi Miss @srsasot if may utang ang mga Lopez e di pagbayarin. Siguro naman may batas tayo para dyan. Ano naman masasabi mo sa mga mawawalan ng trabaho? Tablahin na lang natin? Charot! https://t.co/eWfiKsu3iP
— Ethel Booba (@IamEthylGabison) June 2, 2019
This is not the first time that the two personalities have been involved in a heated exchange on social media.
Two years ago, Ethel retweeted Sasot and referenced Duterte’s three-month promise to rid the country of “corruption, drugs and criminality” once he was elected president.
Sasot tweeted, “Kapag tinanong ka ng tita mong taklesa ngayong Noche Buena kung bakit wala ka pang asawa, gayahin mo sa PNoy: Sisihin mo si Gloria.”
The comedian replied, “That’s so 2015. Ang uso ngayon, ‘Tita, give me at least 3 to 6 months at makakahanap din ako ng jowa.’ Then kapag ‘di mo natupad, extend mo pa ng 5 more years. Charot!” — Featured artwork by Interaksyon/Uela Altar-Badayos
