Former Cebu Port Commissioner Mike Acebedo Lopez on Thursday, February 10, disagreed that host-turned-vlogger Toni Gonzaga was a ‘bayaran’ for giving support to presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
This was after reports surfaced that she received a talent fee of Php120 million just to endorse and campaign the former senator during the entirety of the election period.
Lopez, on a lengthy facebook post, said that people cannot label Gonzaga as a “paid celebrity” just because she chose to support Marcos.
“Gosh, what is it with these people and money? Each time other people support someone you don’t like they’re automatically paid? Bayaran kaagad? There are a bunch of other reasons that motivate people when they choose their brand of politics (or politicians), intangibles like principles, values, and personal relationships that make them see things from a different perspective,” he wrote.
He explained that her husband, filmmaker Paul Soriano, was a blood nephew of Liza Cacho Araneta-Marcos, Marcos’s wife and that they were the principal sponsor when the two tied the knot.
“In Toni’s case, did you know that her husband, Paul Del Mar Soriano, is the blood nephew of BBM’s wife, Liza Cacho Araneta-Marcos? Paul’s dad is Cacho first cousins with Liza; Paul’s paternal grandma and Liza’s mom are sisters (this makes Paul second cousins with BBM’s kids Sandro, Simon, and Vincent)! Furthermore, BBM and his wife stood as principal sponsors during Paul and Toni’s wedding,” continued Lopez.
The former port commissioner then added that unlike critics of Marcos, Gonzaga has the access to know who he [really] is.
“This relationship enables Toni to see BBM not one dimensionally, not limited to how he is perceived or judged by others or how he is often presented by the network where she used to work.”
Before ending the post, he took a swipe at netizens who he believed were one-sided after they criticized Gonzaga.
“And to think these people pride themselves in possessing superior intellect? Is unidimensional, linear thinking (in a multi-dimensional, multifaceted world) a distinctive feature of brilliance? I beg to differ,” ended Lopez.
The report also stated that Gonzaga and Soriano were paid separately to endorse Marcos.
