Several posts on Facebook (FB) are claiming that Bohol Rep. Edgar Chatto mistakenly thought the signature sheet for the impeachment raps against Vice President Sara Duterte was for attendance to get snacks at the House of Representatives. This is satire. The claim originated from a parody page.
A reader asked VERA Files Fact Check to verify a post published by an FB page on Feb. 8. Written in Cebuano, part of the text in the post read:
“Come on, Cong. Chatto! Did you sign an impeachment complaint against VP Sara Duterte because you thought [it was] attendance just for snacks? Too bad, you never read the paper you signed? Maybe next time, you will sign a bill to raise taxes because you think it’s free aid?”
The original viral post was published the same day by Bohol Daily Balita, a Satire/Parody FB page. It was republished by other FB users without disclosing it as satire, misleading other netizens.
In its About section, Bohol Daily Balita describes its content as: “MGA BALITA NGA NAAY TRUE NAA PUY MURAG TRUE (News that are true and seem true).”
Chatto’s official FB page also refuted the claim in a Feb. 11 post. It wrote:
“Misinformation like this is spreading online, don’t be deceived! Always verify sources before believing and sharing. Fake news can mislead the public, damage reputations and create unnecessary confusion.”
Bohol district representatives issued a Feb. 10 joint statement standing by their signatures on the impeachment complaint against Duterte.
“We stand as members of our respective political parties who have actively participated in the Quad-Committee’s fervent efforts in recent months to investigate the truth through evidence,” their statement said in Cebuano.
This satire started spreading a day after another 25 lawmakers voted to impeach Duterte, bringing a total number of 240 out of 316 House members who signed the impeachment raps.
At least three FB posts, one made by FB page Bansalan News and Information (created on Jan. 8, 2011), have circulated the text without disclosing it as satire. The posts collectively garnered over 420 reactions, 100 comments and 100 shares.
