A TikTok user posted a video claiming that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. received an honorary award from the United States (U.S.) Army. This is false.
Published on Feb. 11, the video shows photos of U.S. President Donald Trump and Marcos with text that read:
“BINIGYAN NG PINAKAMATAAS NA HONORARY AWARD NG USA ARMY. PBBM LANG SAKALAM
(Given the highest honorary award by the USA Army. PBBM (Marcos) is mighty)”
The false video included an audio narration, saying:“Grabe, Pangulong Bongbong Marcos po, itinayo ang bandila ng Pilipinas sa buong mundo. Ito na yung sinasabi niya nung eleksyon time
(Wow, President Bongbong Marcos raised the Philippine flag to the whole world. This is what he was saying during election time).”
The original video was taken on May 4, 2023, when Marcos visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, United States, to pay his respects to fallen veteran American soldiers.
That time, Joe Biden, not Trump, was the American president.
The caption of the video, originally taken by Radio Television Malacañang, did not mention any award given to Marcos.
The footage was of the 21-gun salute performed for Marcos by the U.S. Department of Defense in welcoming the Philippine leader to the Pentagon on May 3, 2023.
According to the Arlington National Cemetery, the 21-gun salute is a tradition meant to honor a national flag or the president of a foreign nation.
The false video surfaced days after Marcos Jr. expressed his desire to meet Trump to discuss key issues, including immigration policies.
As of writing, the erroneous video earned over 160,000 views, 15,300 likes, 1,800 comments, and 1,290 shares.
