LRay: NUJP accusation on suppressing press freedom ‘baseless’
LEGAZPI CITY—Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund “Lray” Villafuerte Jr. denied accusation that he was attempting to suppress media freedom following backlash over his social media post criticizing a mock survey conducted by a student publication in the province.
In a statement sent to the Inquirer on Wednesday, Villafuerte also responded to criticism from the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) regarding his online remarks about the mock survey conducted by The Spark, the student publication of Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges (CSPC) in Nabua town.
The NUJP called out Villafuerte, a member of the political clan that has dominated Camarines Sur politics, for accusing The Spark of peddling “fake news” after it conducted a survey and found him trailing as a candidate in the gubernatorial race. The survey showed Villafuerte lagging behind his rival, Bong Rodriguez, a former regional campaign manager of former Vice President Leni Robredo.
“I have not done anything, either now or in the past, that would be tantamount to curtailing press freedom or campus journalism,” he said.
Villafuerte called the NUJP’s accusation “baseless,” asserting that he has never interfered with press freedom or campus journalism.
He cited his support for media practitioners, noting his role as a lead author of House Bill No. 454, which seeks to protect the welfare of Filipino journalists and improve their working conditions.
While he expressed support for an independent press, he maintained that he also has the right to question the validity of reports, including The Spark’s survey on the gubernatorial and congressional races in Camarines Sur for the May 12 elections.
Credibility questioned
Villafuerte is running for Camarines Sur governor—an office he previously held for multiple terms from 2004 to 2013—in the midterm elections. He is serving his third and final term as representative of the province’s second district.
In his social media post last week, Villafuerte raised concerns over the survey’s credibility, noting that it was conducted online in December 2024 but was released only in February 2025.
“The mysterious two-month delay in the release of the poll and the continuous failure to announce the choices for congressional candidates have fueled suspicions of irregularities in the survey methodology,” he said.
Villafuerte further claimed that people associated with The Spark had openly supported his political rivals and suggested that the survey results might have been manipulated.
The CSPC administration denied any involvement in the removal of the survey report, saying The Spark operates independently.
Villafuerte argued that if the student publication voluntarily took down its own report, then he should not be accused of interference.
“Critics are barking up the wrong tree and should ask The Spark staff to explain why they did so,” he said.
According to Villafuerte, questioning the survey’s accuracy does not equate to media suppression.
“I have merely exercised my right to disagree with the outcome of the poll,” he said. “It is unfair for the NUJP to brand this as a ‘vulgar display of power and patronage.’”
