Overview:

Notes and trends on election-related disinformation from verified claims and fact-checks of Tsek.ph partners.

Campaign season kicks off

Tsek.ph partners dealt with a significant increase of disinformation across digital platforms as the spectacle of the 2022 election campaign season unfolded this week. Last month’s issues surrounding the presidential debate are still circulating online, including the past claims involving television journalist Jessica Soho, presidential hopeful and Vice President Leni Robredo’s answer to talk show host Boy Abunda’s question on the Philippines as a narco-state, presidential candidate and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno’s statements, and the alleged absence of the late President Benigno Simeon Aquino III in the 2010 presidential debates.

Other candidates also made headlines for various statements they made. Fact-checkers debunked Sagip representative and senatorial candidate Rodante Marcoleta’s false claims regarding ABS-CBN. His partymate, and also senatorial candidate, actor Robin Padilla falsely stated that revolutionary hero Andres Bonifacio was the first victim of extrajudicial killings (EJK). A false allegation that presidential candidate Sen. Manny Pacquiao is leaving his running mate Lito Atienza also circulated.

With political parties making their nationwide sorties, caravans and rallies were targeted by disinformation campaigns. A supposed video of Robredo’s rally claimed that attendees were cheering for a rival candidate. A photo of presidential bet Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s caravan, on the other hand, was edited to look like an opposing camp’s initiative. A former broadcaster and staunch Marcos supporter also posted a misleading photo of their rally.

Pink movement faces more online disinformation

Tsek.ph partners have noticed the persistent attacks of peddlers of disinformation on Robredo. Accusations of a Robredo-initiated banning of pro-Marcos social media accounts surfaced this week, in addition to similarly false issues that have been put to rest yet continue to fester social media sites. An image of Robredo in a traditional Japanese coat also alleged that she was celebrating a local festival. Several statements were also manipulated and created to discredit her. One quote card claimed that Reuters news agency called out Robredo over a past interview. This is untrue.

Falsehoods benefit Uniteam presidential candidate

At the red and green camp, Marcos’ claim that he received a death threat from an unnamed TikTok user elicited memes and parodies. Interestingly, a falsehood that claimed that he once survived an assassination attempt circulated this week. Still another claim, in conspiracy theory fashion, was that the hacking of the Commission on Elections servers last month was a plot to cheat Marcos of a victory. Consistent with the past several weeks, more false narratives on the Marcos clan’s reign of terror proliferated but simultaneously targeting the Aquino family.

Personalities associated with Marcos were embroiled in disinformation. Marcos’ son, Sandro, made statements that were manipulated as fact-checked by Tsek.ph partners. Outspoken Marcos supporter and Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez also claimed that Marcos’ father, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., launched the Nutribun program. After being called out by Tsek.ph partners, he then alleged that the fact check was made by a different news organization. Tsek.ph will continue to follow this and other election-related stories as the May elections draw near.

More this week:

The growing list of false endorsements created to ramp up Marcos’ campaign:

A continuation of false narratives about the Marcos dictatorship being propagated in the internet:

— FELIPE JOSE GONZALES

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Tsek.ph is a collaborative fact-checking project for the 2022 Philippines’ elections. It is an initiative of academe, media and civil society to counter disinformation and provide the public with verified information.