Netizens are sharing online a video from a penitential walk in Cebu City last January and falsely claiming that it shows a prayer rally for former president Rodrigo Duterte.
On March 29, a Facebook (FB) page posted fourteen seconds of drone shots of the crowd of supposed “Duterte supporters.” It carried the text:
“Cebu City Gathers For a Massive Solidarity & Prayer Rally on Tatay Digong’s Birthday — March 28!”
The same day, a reader forwarded a copy of the post to the VERA Files Misinformation Tip Line for verification.
The video was first posted on March 21 by another FB page – WanderLens Aerials – only bearing the caption:
“PRAYERS FOR FPRRD. CEBU, PHILIPPINES.”
Four days later, the latter FB page clarified in the comment section that its post was “for illustrative/entertainment purposes only and does not depict an actual event.“ However, other netizens continued to repost copies of the video with false context, with some claiming the parade was for Duterte’s birthday or that it happened in Davao.
These posts are false. The video shows devotees during the Walk with Mary procession in Cebu City in January.
WanderLens Aerials, which provides photography and video services according to its FB page, uploaded the original drone shots on Jan. 17.
These were taken during the Penitential Walk with Mary that day which started from Osmeña Boulevard to the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño in Cebu City. It was held in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary as part of the city’s Fiesta Señor activities.
The video without proper context started circulating a week after Duterte’s initial appearance at the International Criminal Court for his alleged crimes against humanity in relation to his bloody drug war. False context was given to the video after the former president celebrated his 80th birthday inside the Court’s detention facility in The Hague, Netherlands.
VERA Files Fact Check has debunked another false video that used clips from previous religious processions passed off as political demonstrations of Duterte supporters.
The video by the FB page WanderLens Aerials (created on Sept. 12, 2013 as Journey Life Thrill) lacking proper context garnered 412,000 reactions, 11,500 comments, 52,000 shares and 8.9 million views. Other copies reposted with false context by two FB pages collectively garnered 59,143 reactions, 3,009 comments, 5,040 shares, 962,000 views. Other netizens reposted the video with false claims on TikTok and YouTube.
