Sam Verzosa, Rhian Ramos address cheating allegations at New York City Marathon (2024)

Kung hindi hihingi ng public apology ang kolumnistang naglabas ng balita tungkol sa espekulasyong nandaya sa New York City Marathon ang aktres na si Rhian Ramos at ang boyfriend nitong si Sam Verzosa, malaki ang posibilidad na maghain umano ng pormal na reklamo ang businessman at kongresista na si Sam.

Noong November 9, 2024 ay inilathala sa daily broadsheet na Daily Tribune ang column ni Star Elamparo, ang Runner's High, na may titulong "Celebrities and cheating at NYCM?"

Read: Rhian Ramos hindi totoong lilipat sa ABS-CBN, sabi ni Sam Verzosa

Bahagi ng nakasaad sa column: "Two local celebrities, however, may take the cake for cheating — if allegations are proven true.

"Weeks before the marathon, actress Rhian Ramos and boyfriend, Partylist Rep. Sam Verzosa announced that they were busy preparing to run the NYCM.

"Since many Filipinos also ran the marathon with them, many were tracking not just the Filipino runners through the official NYCM app but also these two celebrities. The tracker shows the splits for every three miles or so of the race.

"The splits of Ramos and Verzosa curiously showed no entries for the 18.6, 20 and 21.7 miles of the race. This can only mean that they did not pass through these three mile markers. The next time the tracker spotted them was already at the 24.9-mile marker or just more than a mile before the finish line.

"Based on the app, they both went through the finish line and, as their photos on social media show, both collected their Finishers Medal.

"Verzosa, who is running as Manila mayor, even posted: 'Ang saya sa pakiramdam makamit ang isang bagay na pinaghirapan mo, we are officially New York Marathon 2024 Finishers… talagang walang impossible basta trinabaho mo at binigay mo ang lahat para sa goal mo… To God be all the Glory.'

"The official splits of the two celebrities are accessible to the public through the NYCM app. We are still verifying reports if there is already a complaint lodged against these two celebrities as, ordinarily, an investigation will be conducted by race organizer.

"As a runner myself, this would ordinarily just be a matter of personal interest.

"But, considering that the two runners involved are celebrities, with one even running for a very important public office, their honesty and integrity are matters of public interest.

"We are very much open to any response from Mr. Verzosa and Ms. Ramos."

Read: Isko Moreno at Sam Verzosa, di inasahang magkikita sa isang event

SAM VERZOSA ADDRESSES ALLEGATION

Ngayong Huwebes, Nobyembre 14, humarap si Sam sa mga miyembro ng media para ilahad ang kanyang panig tungkol sa isyu ng pandaraya na resulta ng isinulat ni Elamparo.

Tinawag niyang "fake news" ang impormasyong inilathala ng Daily Tribune columnist.

Dahil umano sa artikulong ito ay naging target sila ng pambabatikos.

Pahayag ni Sam, “Nakakalungkot po na may mga ganitong klase ng tao na nagpapakalat po ng fake news. Kasi, hindi lang po kami ni Rhian ang apektado, pati ang pamilya namin.

“Kung kami lang, okay lang, pero mas apektado pa yung mga pamilya at kaibigan namin.

"Kasi nakisakay na yung bashers, trolls, vloggers. At minsan, yung fake news nagiging totoo kung talagang hindi binabawi, pinapanindigan."

Kuwento pa ng Tutok To Win party-list representative, “Sabi ng nanay ko, ‘Anak, totoo ba ‘yon?’

“Sobrang mahal ako ng nanay ko kaya mama’s boy ako. Sabi ko, ‘Ma, huwag mo nang pansinin. Ipapakita ko sa yo ang video.’

“Pero yung anak ko, sabi niya, ‘Dad, is it true?’ May nagpasa raw sa kanya ng news article.

"Sabi ko, ‘No son. It’s not true.'"

Iginiit ni Sam na hindi totoong nandaya sila ni Rhian sa New York City Marathon.

Aniya, "I am from the streets. Yan yung mga ine-enjoy ko, yung challenges na ganyan.

"I’ve travelled half the world para pumunta ng New York, hindi para dayain yan. Ang dami ko nang na-achieve na mahihirap sa buhay ko, ano ba yung 42-kilometers na marathon?

“Yung marathon po, birthday ng tatay ko na kamamatay lang. Sobrang inspirational, sobrang emotional habang tumatakbo ako. Halos umiyak ako. Napadasal ako.”

Read: Sam Verzosa, hindi raw gagamitin si Rhian Ramos sa politika

VALIDATION AND EVIDENCES

Kinastigo ni Sam ang kolumnistang si Star Elamparo, na isa ring abogado, dahil sa isinulat nito tungkol sa kanila ni Rhian.

Pahayag ni Sam: "Hindi ko alam kung anong kasiyahan ang naidudulot nito sa tao na yon, para sa kanyang reputasyon at pamilya.

“Nagsasalita ako ngayon para matapos na po yung mga ganitong klase ng kultura sa Pilipinas. Kung wala pong titindig at kung hindi ako magsasalita, patuloy niyang gagawin ito.

“Abogado pa naman siya tapos ginagamit niya yung impluwensiya niya, yung talino niya, yung pagiging journalist niya sa pagpapakalat ng ganitong klaseng balita na hindi man lang niya vinalidate mula sa New York. Hindi man lang nag-research, kumbaga.

“Kahit sabihin niyang may freedom of expression, kung ikaw naman ay nakakasira ng buhay ng ibang tao, sana makapag-isip-isip ka na kung wala ka nang ambag sa lipunan, maninira ka pa?

“Hindi ko siya kilala. May nagsabi na part din siya ng running community, so let’s spread positivity and not toxic behavior, toxic culture.”

Binanggit din ni Sam ang mga ebidensiya na tinapos nila ni Rhian ang New York City Marathon nang walang halong pandaraya.

Mahabang paliwanag ng Dear SV host: "We went to New York not to compete. We went there to raise funds for Smile Train Philippines.

“Actually, in-enjoy lang namin ni Rhian ito. Nag-enjoy kami. Para lang kaming namasyal.

"Mabuti na lang, may dala po akong camera to document our whole marathon journey.

"So, yung sinasabi nila na nawawalang marker, yung nawawala raw sa listahan ng sensor, e, na-video ko po kung paano tinatanggal.

“Pruweba, ang pinakauna, my video na in-upload sa YouTube at Facebook page ko, from start to finish.

“Kami ang pinaka-last batch na tumakbo, Wave 5 po kami, 11:30 A.M. nagsimula yung batch namin.

"Nasa huling batch kami kasi we are running under charity. We are representing Smile Train Team Empower.

“Hindi namin kasabay yung elite runners na tumakbo ng 9 A.M., 9:30, 10 A.M.

“Nakahiwalay po talaga kami kaya inabutan kami ng pagliligpit ng dulo. So, sumulat po kami sa New York Marathon organizers at agad po silang nag-reply sa amin.

“Ang sinabi nila, pasensiya na dahil nagligpit na kami ng markers na Mile 20 dahil kailangan nilang i-reopen ang road, marami nang nagrereklamo.

“So, malinaw na sinabi nila na tinanggal ang markers at binuksan yung road pero nanatili po yung markers after route at nasa video nga.”

Sa email na ipinadala kay Rhian ng NYRR Runner Services, ang organizer ng marathon, nakasaad dito: “It looks like both of you and Samuel fell behind the sweep and the timing points at 30km, 20 miles and 35km were removed from the course as the streets reopened before you passed through. In Central Park, we can stay open longer, so you were picked up again at 40km.

“We are certainly not holding those timing points against you, you are both still listed as official finishers.”

Ayon kay Sam, ang kanilang mga kasama ni Rhian ang makapagpapatunay na natapos nila ang 42-kilometer marathon sa New York City.

“Marami kaming kasama. Maraming runners ang kasama namin na nawawala yung Mile 20 markers. Sa dinami-dami ng mga tumakbo, bakit naman kami ang pinag-iinitan?"

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by SV (@samverzosa)

Sa huli, sinabi ni Sam na nararapat lamang humingi ng public apology sa kanila si Elamparo at ang diyaryong pinagsusulatan nito.

"I think she owes the public an apology, yung mga naniniwala sa kanya, yung pinagtatrabahuan po niya na diyaryo or media.

“Wala akong sine-set na deadline for her public apology. It’s not for me to tell her. Nasa kanya po ’yan kung gusto niya na mag-apologize or hindi.”

Sa tanong kung magsasampa sila ni Rhian ng reklamo, sagot ni Sam, "Yung lawyers ko na po ang bahala. Tingnan natin, nag-uusap-usap ang mga abogado natin and let’s see.”

Read: Rhian Ramos not in a rush to settle down with Sam Verzosa

RHIAN RAMOS ALSO DENIES ALLEGATION

Bago ang pagsasalita ni Sam sa media, nag-post na si Rhian sa kanyang Instagram account upang pabulaanan din ang alegasyong nandaya sila sa New York City Marathon.

Kalakip ang kopya ng email na ipinadala sa kanya ng marathon organizer, inihayag ng Kapuso actress ang saloobin niya tungkol sa nailathalang artikulo.

Mahabang saad niya: "I understand that a lot of people think "chismis" is fun, and it's so easy to make something up just to get 15 minutes of fame...

"But in 2024, it's so easy to send an email, verify facts, and get your story straight before trying to ruin someone's name for a little attention — especially when it's your job to do so.

"Everyone said I was crazy to do it, especially without a professional trainer.. But given my schedule, I basically just relied on mental strength and making sure that I kept a fairly active lifestyle before actually flying to the US.

"We didn't do it to compete with anyone's times. We just had to make sure we could finish it without passing out or getting injured, because above everything, we were doing it for charity.

"By completing each of our runs, Sam and I raised money for children with clefts to get proper treatment and essential operations...and even if we were pretty much limping to the finish line, it was this cause that kept us from quitting and made this experience one of the best things I've ever done! And I'd totally do it again too

"I can't fathom why someone would try to take that away from us and our cause. Crab mentality is such a common term in this country, but can we Filipinos not be known for that anymore? Can we be known for pushing one another to achieve goals and make dreams come true? Like, why is that our norm, right?

"Anyway, I'd like to use this moment to encourage you that if we could do this, you can do anything ! ...and also it's a reminder that liars and fake news are everywhere! And even if "chismis is fun", the truth can be fun too."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rhian Ramos (@whianwamos)

Bukas ang PEP.ph sa panig ng lahat ng personalidad na nabanggit sa artikulong ito.