Veteran broadcaster Anthony “Ka Tunying” Taberna has clapped back at actress Pinky Amador after the latter threw shade at him in a viral social media post referencing “fake news.”
The exchange began when Amador visited one of Taberna’s Ka Tunying’s Café branches and recorded herself jokingly saying, “Bibili sana ako ng fake news,” while flashing a peace sign.
She captioned the post: “Ingat po tayong lahat sa mga papapakin natin. Maging mapanuri sa mga balita, iwasan ang pagpapakalat ng maling impormasyon,” with hashtags #Satire, #LabanSaFakeNews, and #Kurakot.
Although the actress later clarified the tone as satire, many netizens interpreted it as a direct dig at Taberna, who had recently been accused by Senator Risa Hontiveros of spreading false information about alleged “budget insertions.”
On Thursday, October 9, Taberna responded via Facebook—his post quickly going viral.
“Ma’am Pinky Amador, wala pong fake news sa amin,” he wrote. “Pero try nyo po ang MALUTONG na MURA pa na rice crackers.”
The quip—referring to one of the café’s best-selling snacks—sparked a flood of reactions from supporters and critics alike.
Among the top comments were: “Pinky who?” “Nice one ka, Tunying!” “Good job ka Tunying, pakainin mo ng mura na cracker si madam Pinky para magising.” Others, however, sided with Amador, saying, “Kakam Pinky all the way.”
The exchange came amid an ongoing public spat between Taberna and Senator Risa Hontiveros.
On the October 3 episode of DZRH’s ‘Dos Por Dos’, co-anchored by Gerry Baja, Taberna discussed what he claimed were ₱3 billion worth of “budget insertions” allegedly linked to Hontiveros in the 2025 national budget.
He said ₱750 million was supposedly allotted for flood control projects—a claim Hontiveros swiftly and categorically denied.
In a Facebook post that same day, the senator wrote: “Wala po akong bicam insertions. Wala sa unprogrammed funds. PERIOD. Isa pa, HINDI AKO PUMIRMA sa bicam at bumoto rin ng NO sa kontrobersyal na 2025 budget. BABALA: WAG MANIWALA SA FAKE NEWS AT MALING IMPORMASYON.”
Taberna later addressed Hontiveros’s statement in his vlog, saying he only based his report on official Senate records and never accused her of wrongdoing.
“Hindi naman tayo name-make news e,” he said. “Medyo nasaktan kasi ako, Senator Risa, sa fake news. Hindi ko matanggap yun. Sana magkausap tayo bilang maginoo.”
Following the uproar, the MBC Media Group, which operates DZRH, issued an official statement affirming that the network’s ombudsman had conducted a review of the broadcast.
According to the findings: The anchors “did not state that Senator Risa Hontiveros made insertions during the Bicameral Conference Committee,” but rather referenced insertions in the budget itself. The program “made efforts to contact Senator Hontiveros to obtain her side,” though no interview has yet been scheduled. The report emphasized that “budget insertions are not inherently wrong” and are part of normal legislative procedure. MBC reaffirmed its “commitment to responsible broadcasting and factual reporting.”
