A photo of a Jesus Christ statue dressed in a pink gown has been shared repeatedly in multiple Facebook posts alongside a claim it was created by supporters of Philippine presidential candidate Leni Robredo, whose campaign color is pink. This is false: a reverse image search found the same photo has been shared repeatedly online since at least April 2018 — more than three years before Robredo announced her presidential bid.
The image was posted on Facebook on April 14, 2022, less than one month before voters in the Philippines were set to go to the polls.
It circulated online in the Catholic-majority country as worshippers marked Holy Thursday.
The Tagalog-language caption translates to English as: “Don’t you have any respect for the lord anymore? You even dressed the Nazarene in pink, dragging it into your desperate acts for leni.”
Robredo, the incumbent vice president, has been trailing behind arch-rival and presidential frontrunner Ferdinand Marcos Jr in the race for the top job, AFP reported.
Philippine social media has exploded with support for Marcos Jr, driven by a massive misinformation campaign aimed at revamping the family brand.
Read the full story on AFP Fact Check.