Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo on Wednesday was obviously irked over the viral photo of a billboard showing a photoshopped picture of him being depicted as a woman clad in a black swimsuit.

In a press statement, Panelo said it is “unfortunate” that there are still some unscrupulous individuals who dedicate their time and effort to discredit people.

“While I find it incredible and unreal, there are still those gullible persons who believe that a photo of a billboard circulating online which depict me as a woman, wearing a bikini or swimsuit, came from me,” he said.

The original billboard showing Panelo’s photo stands at Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City.

Panelo was featured on a billboard in Quezon City. His photo showed him reminding the public to observe health protocols by washing their hands regularly and wearing face mask and face shield.

His edited photo, on the other hand, showed him wearing a black swimsuit. There is also a caption which says: “Panelo? Is it me you’re looking for? [Call] 1-800-PANELO.”

Panelo clarified that in the original photo, he was wearing a formal suit.

“To set the record straight, such is not a real photo. It was just edited or photoshopped by these immoral and devious individuals as a means to attack my person,” Panelo said.

He said his photo on the billboard did not come from him but from his “believer” who is watching his commentary show “Counterpoint” aired on state-run PTV-4.

“The fake photo in a billboard is being circulated in the mass media by unscrupulous persons. In addition, the very billboard itself did not even come from me but from a Counterpoint viewer and believer,” he said.

Panelo also slammed the claim that the billboard featuring him is a strategy to “increase [his] following”.

“I find this outrageous to the point of laughable,” Panelo said.