Pimentel forgives Zubiri over wife-beater issue

MANAOAG,Pangasinan, Philippines - Sen. Koko Pimentel has forgiven his political nemesis, former senator Migz Zubiri, for accusing him over national television that he was a wife-beater.

“For me it’s over, a personal issue is over. I have forgiven him. I just felt sad for my children because this is a personal attack,” Pimentel told reporters in a campaign sortie here over the weekend.

As this developed, Pimentel’s estranged wife, former Bb. Pilipinas-Universe Jewel May Lobaton, denied Zubiri’s claims that she was physically abused by her husband.

The lawmaker said it was unfortunate that Zubiri, who is running for senator under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) ticket, resorted to mudslinging and dragged his family in politics.

In a statement emailed by Team PNoy to journalists, Jewel said she never complained to Zubiri about being a battered wife.

“In the close to twelve years that we lived together, my husband Koko has never physically hurt me,” she said.

Jewel and Zubiri are cousins.

She admitted meeting Zubiri and his wife Audrey at their residence in Makati City sometime in July 2012 to discuss efforts for custody of her children. She claimed a friend, who arranged the meeting, did most of the talking which included strategies on how she could get her children.

“I remember Migz Zubiri saying we can come out in television together, and the whole clan of Colmenares (immediate family) will be there, and he even said his message for this media plan,” she said.

“In the meantime, Koko and I were able to resolve the issue on custody, bearing in mind the best interest of the children. We were able to come up with our own system of ‘shared custody’ of the children,” she added.

Jewel said she informed Audrey about the development and thanked them for their prayers.

“She thanked me too and told me that their family (Zubiris) decided not to use my marital issues with my husband Koko Pimentel in any of Migz Zubiri’s propaganda in his Senate bid in 2013,” she said.

Recently, Koko said he and his wife were trying to fix their marriage.

The senator said he would not want to defend himself too much because “I’m at peace with myself and I know the truth.”

However, Pimentel said he is mulling the possibility of filing libel charges against Zubiri.

As for allegation of cheating, he said it would be the Filipino voters who would decide Zubiri’s fate.

In another sortie in Sultan Kudarat, Pimentel described Zubiri’s “total free health care system” campaign as a fraud.

The Team PNoy candidate said Zubiri should explain his campaign, which promises a total free health care system for all 95 million Filipinos, because it is just too good to be true.

“Sometimes, infomercials are too good to be true. If you’re lying in campaign, it’s a form of cheating,” he said.

Pimentel issued the statement based on Zubiri’s appeal to set him free on charges of cheating when he resigned as senator in 2011.

Even before the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) officially announced the real winner in the 12th and last spot in the 2007 midterm elections, Zubiri made a historic move by resigning from his post in August 2011.           

Meanwhile, Team PNoy senatorial candidates Ma. Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal and former Akbayan party-list Rep. Risa Hontiveros defended Pimentel against Zubiri’s wife-beating allegations.

Madrigal and Hontiveros expressed disappointment over Zubiri’s action and told him to refrain from inventing stories just to boost his campaign. – With Marvin Sy