President Rodrigo Duterte has not officially announced his presidential and vice presidential picks for the May elections, contrary to a claim of a YouTube channel that he has endorsed the candidacies of Ferdinand Marcos Jr and presidential daughter Sara Duterte.
Philippine Trending News’ March 4 video, titled “JUST IN: SAWAKAS (Finally)! PDUTERTE CONFIRMED! OFFICIALLY INDORSE (sic) BBM-SARA UNITEAM,” misreported Duterte’s speech during the inauguration of the Narvacan Farmers Market in Ilocos Sur that day.
The video merely mentioned Duterte telling the audience to “choose an Ilocano leader.” It said at the 1:33 mark:
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte gave hints of his candidate endorsement after his speech in Narvacan. He said that Ilocos Sur voters may vote for an Ilocano leader at the Malacanang because most of its Cabinet members hail from the Ilocos region and only a few from Visayas or Mindanao.
In the original video of the speech, Duterte only said he was leaving it to Ilocano voters to choose the Ilocano leader they’d like to put in Malacanang when his term ends. He said at the 30:44 mark:
But you know in my Cabinet, only four or three of us are from Visayas, and the rest are Ilocanos. That’s why when I leave the Malacanang, just choose which Ilocano leader you will put there.
Read the full story on FactRakers.
Related Fact Checks:
Fact Check: Duterte favors an Ilocano replacement
Old video revived to falsely claim Duterte backs Marcos’ bid
