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FACT CHECK

​VERA FILES FACT CHECK: FB Page using Duterte name FALSELY links Robredo to CamSur dumpsite incident

A Duterte-named Facebook (FB) page falsely connected Vice President Leni Robredo to an issue over the dumping of food products believed to be relief goods in a dumpsite in Camarines Sur.

In an Aug. 18 post, FB page DU30 MEDIA Network uploaded several photos found on different media organizations’ social media pages and captioned it with:

TINGNAN: Ibat ibang uri ng pagkain, Bigas, Sardinas, Nodles (sic) at kape na hinihinalang Reliefgoods ang nahukay sa isang Tambakan ng Basura sa balwarte ni Leni Robredo sa Camarines Sur (LOOK: Various kinds of food, rice, sardines, noodles and coffee [sachets] believed to be relief goods were found in a dumpsite in the bailiwick of Leni Robredo in Camarines Sur).”

DU30 MEDIA Network was referring to alleged relief goods buried in a dumpsite in Brgy. San Antonio in Bombon, Camarines Sur. Bombon is part of the third legislative district of Camarines Sur, which includes Robredo’s hometown of Naga City. Robredo formerly served as its representative in the 16th Congress.

But multiple news reports on the incident make no mention of the vice president’s involvement in the matter.

Several reports, in fact, alleged that former Bombon Mayor Oscar Borja ordered the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MMDRRMO) to bury the relief goods because they were no longer safe for consumption. These goods were supposedly turned over by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for distribution in the event of a disaster.

A GMA Regional TV Weekend News report dated Aug. 17 shows Bombon MDRRMO Officer Engr. Arnel Talaguit saying they did not want to take the risk because some of the goods were already “rusty.”

Meanwhile, the incumbent mayor of Bombon, Ma. Luisa Angeles, argued that the “canned goods” were still in good condition, with some still sealed.

Based on the ‘partial inventory’ of the Bombon local government, 693 coffee sachets, 85 kilo packs of rice and 1586 canned goods have been recovered from the dumpsite. It is now investigating before filing the appropriate charges.

DU30 MEDIA Network’ s post surfaced days after Camarines Sur was hit by Typhoon Hanna and Tropical Storm Ineng last month.

The post could have reached more than two million social media users. Aside from DU30 Media Network, its top traffic generators include Marcos romualdez loyalist phil., and public Facebook group Raffy Tulfo’s Avid Fans.

DU30 Media Network was created on June 9, 2016.

(Editor’s Note: VERA Files has partnered with Facebook to fight the spread of disinformation. Find out more about this partnership and our methodology.)