Multiple posts circulating on Facebook and YouTube are claiming that the appointment of Gloria Jumamil Mercado as commissioner of the National Commission of Senior Citizens is a reward for testifying against Vice President Sara Duterte over the alleged misuse of confidential funds during her time as Department of Education secretary. This is misleading.
Mercado has been a long-time government official before the recent investigations into DepEd’s confidential funds began. The viral posts falsely frame her recent appointment as tied to her testimony, creating the impression of a “quid pro quo” or political reward.
First posted by an FB page as a graphic styled as breaking news, it features two photos of Mercado – one taken during the Senate hearing on confidential funds, and the other her oath-taking as NSCS commissioner – with the headline:
“TESTIGO LABAN KAY VP SARA, NAGKAROON NG PWESTO SA GOBYERNO
(Witness against VP Sara, gets government position)”
The post carried the caption:
“Itinalaga si Gloria J. Mercado bilang bagong Commissioner ng Cluster 4 ng NCSC o National Commission of Senior Citizens. Si Mercado ay isa sa naging testigo laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte tungkol sa usapin ng alegasyon sa DepEd.
Naging sentro rin ng iba’t ibang reaksyon mula sa publiko online ang pagkakaroon nito ng pwesto sa gobyerno.
(Gloria J. Mercado has been appointed as the new Commissioner of Cluster 4 of the NCSC or National Commission of Senior Citizens. Mercado was one of the witnesses against Vice President Sara Duterte regarding the alleged issues in the Department of Education.
Her appointment to a government position has also drawn various reactions from the public online.)”
The misleading posts emerged following her appearances at the impeachment hearings on March 3 and April 14, wherein her sworn testimony and the physical evidence—particularly the nine envelopes—were formally presented and replay
The photo being used to support the “reward” narrative shows Mercado taking her oath on April 23, before NCSC Chairperson Merceditas Gutierrez as she was appointed anew covering regions six and seven.
Official records and an appointment letter show Mercado was first appointed as NCSC commissioner on May 27, 2020 by then-President Rodrigo Duterte, with a term expiring on Sept. 17, 2023.
Mercado has built a career in government service, including serving as undersecretary for Human Resources and Organizational Development at the DepEd and Head of Procuring Entity (HoPE) before she was asked by VP Sara to resign in 2023–which she refused, instead opting for voluntary retirement, having rendered over 30 years of government service.
Published by FB groups and pages Feed Your Mind Inc. (created Jan. 16, 2019), NewsNgayon (created January 18, 2028), Boss Dada (created January 12, 2024), Ang Balita Ngayon (created May 26, 2019) and several other FB accounts, these posts have collectively amassed over 125,499 reactions; 16,404 comments; and 4,017 shares.
Editor’s note: This fact check was produced with the help of a journalism student from Bicol University as part of their internship at VERA Files.
