TENSIONS rose in the Municipality of Sigma after its Sangguiang Bayan (SB) approved early last week a
resolution declaring radio blocktimers India Lapaviez (a.k.a “Mamang India”) and Jay Lavapiez (a.k.a “Papa
Jay”) of Baskog Radyo as persona non grata.
In Resolution No. 87-Series of 2025, the wife and husband tandem are accused of “disseminating false, misleading information and outright lies, effectively making them purveyors of fake news.”
The resolution stated that their repeated accusations against members of the legislative body were made “without cause, fairness, or factual basis.”
The resolution was made after Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) President Katherine Marie Mendrozo delivered a privilege speech and urged her colleagues to make the declaration.
According to Mendrozo, the two Baskog Radyo commentators claimed on air unverified accusations including the alleged corruption of Sigma’s public offi cials.
“Ginapakanubo sang sini nga klase sang paghambal ang dignidad sang serbisyo publiko kag ginaguba ang aton mga institusyon (This kind of rhetoric diminishes the dignity of public service and destroys our
institutions),” Mendrozo said.
But Baskog Radyoclaimed that the SB resolution is part of a larger pattern of
“harassment and intimidation”
against its station and anchors
by the local officials of Sigma.
According to the station,
Mamang India recently
received a subpoena from
the National Bureau of
Investigation (NBI) over a
complaint fi led under the
Cybercrime Prevention Act.
Baskog Radyo also
claimed the Sigma offi cials are
out to get them for reporting
the alleged anomalies
including cemeteries with
no proper permits and the
questionable enforcement of
the speed limit ordinance.
