A fabricated quote card that has been circulating online for over a month now claims that former senator Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson is against naming those who received confidential and intelligence funds under Vice President Sara Duterte.
Lacson has disowned this and warned netizens against spreading misinformation.
Two Facebook (FB) users sent this claim to VERA Files’ Misinformation Tipline (vera.ph/MessengerTipLine) for verification.
The quote card, published on Dec. 10, carried an image of Lacson with this quote:
“The disbursement of confidential funds uses code and aliases dahil sa confidentiality nature ng pagkagastosan (of the expenses). But the same requires an intelligence project where details of expenses were stipulated.
NOW YOU KNOW the WHOs & WHYs of MARY GRACE PIATTOS and KOKOY VILLAMIN.
Don’t show your ignorance by asking the true identities of these persons. Otherwise, hindi na yan (that won’t be) CONFIDENTIAL!!!”
“[The quote card] is obviously fake and obviously manipulated,” Lacson said in a Dec. 13 Facebook (FB) post addressing the claim.
He also told readers to “be vigilant and to verify their information from official and credible sources before sharing, to avoid spreading misinformation.”
The first half of the quote card paraphrased Lacson’s explanation on how intelligence funds are audited. Even the aliases and original names of the funds’ recipients should be backed up with a paper trail, he said during an interview with Net 25 dated Nov. 27, 2024 (see timecode: 11:37 to 12:53).
This fake quote card, as well as Lacson’s actual statement, appeared after a Net 25 reporter asked for the former senator’s reaction to Duterte’s erroneous claim that a law prevented her from divulging the nature of her office’s confidential funds.
FACT CHECK: Sara Duterte wrongly claims law bars discussion on confidential funds
Cursory search reveals that the infographics containing the fabricated quote – addressed to Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop – appeared two days after the congressman called out the lack of transparency in the OVP’s and DepEd’s handling of confidential funds.
Published by two FB users, the fake infographics garnered a total of 7,829 reactions, 1,270 comments, and 4,642 shares. Another post by FB page President Rodrigo “Rody” Roa Duterte Supporters (created on June 9, 2016) garnered 534 reactions, 80 comments, and 102 shares.
