A YouTube video claims that Sen. Lito Lapid has resigned amid a controversy linking him to illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO). This is false. The senator has not made any pronouncement that he left his post.
Uploaded on July 10, the video originally bore the headline:
“KAPAPASOK LANG:NA-EXPOSE LAPID DI-NAKALÍGTÀS/ NAG-RÉSÍGN DI-NÉKLÀRÀ OMG! TRYD0R ÀSÀWÀ NILAGLÀG karmà (Just in: Already exposed, Lapid was not spared/Resigned, declared omg! Wife is a traitor, exposed him karma).”
Its thumbnail also carried a text which read: “TINAPOS SI LAPID. BIGLANG NAG-RESIGN. GRABE ANG PASABOG NA-EXPOSE NA (Ended Lapid. Suddenly resigned. Shocking revelation, exposed already).”
There has been no statement from Lapid or his office on the alleged resignation. The actor-turned-lawmaker, however, said in a June 26 Senate hearing that he will voluntarily leave his post if his alleged links to POGO operations are proven.
Clickbait as it is, the 11-minute video never showed any proof to support its claim but only featured an audio clip from a vlogger who claimed that Lapid is involved in criminal activities of Lucky South 99, a POGO hub raided last June 5 in Porac, Pampanga.
The uploader has since changed the video’s headline and thumbnail but links bearing the original copy of the video are still circulating on Facebook (FB).
VERA Files Fact Check has previously debunked a claim that Lapid has been imprisoned and expelled from the Senate.
Uploaded by YouTube channels BANAT KAPANIG TV and AI TOO KAYE the erroneous video received over 80,995 interactions. Facebook users also reposted the link. A website called Teleserye Recap also posted a copy of the video.
