A bad joke was made and who could be laughing?

People trooped to the home of Speaker Joe de Venecia, Jr., in Bonuan Binloc on Wednesday after receiving gossip spread through text messaging that he was giving balato (reward tips) to all those who supported him.

Bong Visperas, a spokesman of the De Venecia media bureau, clarified on radio that it was a trick played on people and he suspected that it was hatched by those who lost in the elections to put the Speaker in a compromising situation with his supporters.

The text message advised people would be given cash in exchange for headcaps, t-shirts, posters, tarpaulins and other campaign materials bearing the name of De Venecia.

THE DE VENECIA COUPLE on election day before the rumors spread.

De Venecia and wife Gina were already on their way to Manila when people started crowding outside their residence.

The De Venecia household panicked and called the police.

Superintendent Mateo Casupang, officer-in- charge of the Dagupan police, said he was able to monitor the rumor and sent two policemen to the De Venecia home and later augmented them with a police patrol.

Policemen, with armalite rifles on one hand, drove away throngs of people.

On Thursday, another group of de Venecia supporters converged in San Fabian for supposed chance to receive money as their balato from De Venecia.

Reelected Mayor Mojamito Libunao intervened and politely told the crowd that the report was a hoax.

ANOTHER RUMOR

Earlier, a text message circulated that De Venecia had ordered the City Board of Canvassers to make his nephew, Councilor Alex de Venecia, win in the race for the 10-man city council of Dagupan.

De Venecia denied this, saying he never meddled in affairs of the Commission on Elections in his entire political career.

Councilor De Venecia lost in his reelection bid.

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