Another set of videos claimed that suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag has been reinstated to his post. This is not true.
On Feb. 12, a YouTube channel posted the video with the headline:
“SHOCKING! PBBM VPSARA UMAKSYON na BANTAG NABULAGA IBABALIK sa PWESTO (PBBM VPSARA has TAKEN ACTION BANTAG SHOCKED WILL BE BACK IN OFFICE) MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION DOJ.”
The thumbnail showed photos of Bantag, former president Rodrigo Duterte, Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos and Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla. It bore the text:
“SAWAKAS! BALIK SA PWESTO (FINALLY! BACK IN OFFICE) ! GOODNEWS! ITO ANG HINIHINTAY NG LAHAT (THIS IS WHAT EVERYONE IS WAITING FOR).”
After a week, the same channel uploaded another video with the same claim. Its headline read:
“SHOCKING! PBBM NABULAGA PAKTAY NA! INAMIN na REMULLA FINISH NA PERCY BANTAG PANALO na BALIK PWESTO (PBBM SHOCKED! ADMITTED it REMULLA now FINISHED PERCY BANTAG WON now BACK IN OFFICE).”
This is false. There are no reports of Marcos or Duterte-Carpio making moves to bring back Bantag to the BuCor.
Gregorio Catapang Jr. has been the bureau’s acting director-general since Bantag’s suspension in October over his alleged involvement in the deaths of broadcaster Percy Lapid and incarcerated person Jun Villamor. Bantag received another 90-day suspension on Jan. 17.
Remulla previously announced that Catapang will be permanently appointed as BuCor’s chief.
The first video only plays audio clips of Bombo Radyo’s news report on Duterte-Carpio’s Basic Education Report 2023, Duterte’s statement on Bantag’s case and a vlogger’s commentary. The other video used clips from an SMNI News report and program discussing the case.
The false videos came out four days after Bantag’s camp filed a counter-affidavit denying the allegations linking him to Lapid’s and Villamor’s deaths. Bantag is also facing plunder and graft charges over alleged misuse of correction facilities’ funds.
VERA Files Fact Check previously debunked other posts with the same false claim (Read Bantag reinstated as BuCor chief NOT TRUE).
The two videos uploaded by YouTube channel PH NEWS TV (created on April 9, 2020), which has a history of publishing disinformation, collectively garnered 8,790 views. Netizens also shared the links on Facebook.
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