(Screengrab from PCO FB)
MANILA – The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Saturday lamented the spread of “false” information about President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. through a blurred video of him allegedly receiving a sachet of drugs.
PCO’s fact-checker “Maging Mapanuri” posted a video on Facebook to refute netizens’ claim that Marcos received prohibited drugs from a man who took a selfie with him in a recent public event.
“Ginagamit ng ilang indibidwal ang ganitong uri ng content upang magpalaganap ng maling naratibo (Some individuals use this type of content to spread a false narrative),” the PCO said.
“Kapag ang isang video o larawan ay ibinahagi ng wala sa tamang konteksto, nagiging madali para sa ilan na mapaniwala ang publiko sa maling impormasyon. Sa comment section pa lang, mapapansin agad ang mga haka-haka at opinyon ng mga netizen (When a video or photo is shared out of context, it becomes easy for some to mislead the public into believing misinformation. In the comment section, netizens' speculations and opinions can be noticed immediately),” it added.
The PCO released a clearer copy of the video to show that the man, before taking a selfie and shaking hands with the President, actually gave him a “lapel pin with the symbol of their political party.”
The President accepted the pin.
The PCO likewise shared a screenshot of the man, Ferdinand Arthur Tupaz, owner of El Oro Medallic Engraver Corp. that is involved in the production of medals, lapel pins and commemorative coins.
Based on Tupaz’s Facebook post on July 1, 2022, El Oro Medallic Engraver Corp. also designed and manufactured the official commemorative medallion of Marcos during his inauguration as the 17th Philippine president on June 30 that year.
“Kahit malinaw ang footage, kapag tinanggal ang tamang konteksto, madali itong magamit upang lumikha ng mga maling kwento. (Ito ay) isang simpleng pagkilos na binibigyan ng ibang interpretasyon dahil sa kakulangan ng buong kwento (Even if the footage is clear, when the proper context is removed, it can easily be used to create false stories. It is a simple act that is given a different interpretation due to the lack of a full story),” the PCO said.
“Ang pag-blur ng katotohanan, pagputol ng mga clips, o pagbibigay ng mga impormasyon nang wala sa tamang konteksto ay nagiging mabisang paraan upang malinlang ang publiko (Blurring the truth, cutting clips, or giving information out of context are effective ways to mislead the public),” it added.
The PCO reminded the public to make a habit of doing research to know the truth and fight fake news.
It also stressed that “no one can be fooled if no one is fooled.”
Prior to the circulation of the latest video, a deepfake video of Marcos allegedly using illegal drugs also went viral on social media.
Trolls, influencers
In a news release, House Deputy Majority Leader and PBA Party-list Rep. Margarita Nograles likewise urged caution when consuming information online as she noted an intensified resurgence of misinformation and fake news.
The strategy is to enlist so-called influencers who propagate misinformation and disinformation and have trolls comment that they believe the lies and spread these to gain traction in social media.
She emphasized the importance of distinguishing fact from fiction, noting that fake news has the potential to mislead the public and damage the credibility of officials.
“Huwag po tayong basta maniniwala sa mga nakikita natin online. Dapat natin alamin ang katotohanan at suriin nang mabuti ang mga impormasyon na ating natatanggap (Let us not readily believe what we see online. We must know the truth and study well the information we receive),” Nograles said.
Nograles said the public must be responsible consumers of information as fake news thrives when unverified contents are shared.
"As citizens, it is our duty to be careful in sharing information. Just one click can spread falsehoods that will cause confusion," she said. (With a report from Zaldy De Layola/PNA)
