A Facebook (FB) page revived a graphic with a false claim that communist party leader Jose Maria “Joma” Sison has expressed support for the supposed tandem of Vice President Leni Robredo and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso in the 2022 elections.
Posted on July 30, the untrue graphic posted by FB page Alon Calinao Dy read: “Teroristang si Joma Sison inendorso ang tambalang Leni Robredo – Isko Moreno bilang mga pambato ng oposisyon sa darating na Halalan 2022. Patunay na ang dilaw at pula ay tunay na magka-kuntsaba.”
(Translation: Terrorist Joma Sison endorsed the Leni Robredo – Isko Moreno tandem as opposition candidates for the upcoming 2022 elections. Proof that the Yellows and Reds are in cahoots.)
“Yellow” is a colloquial term used to refer to members and supporters of the Liberal Party. “Red” refers to Leftists.
Sison, who founded the Communist Party of the Philippines and co-founded the New People’s Army, said that the graphic is “a FAKE and is obviously anti-communist.”
“I have not endorsed any Robredo-Moreno tandem for the presidency and vice presidency of the reactionary government,” he said in an email to VERA Files Fact Check.
The false graphic first surfaced on June 16, published by the FB page JUST Philippines.
There is no post on Sison’s official website nor Facebook account expressing support for either public official in 2022. There are likewise no news reports related to this claim.
Alon Calinao Dy’s spurious post emerged two days after the Office of the Vice President confirmed that Robredo had met separately with Senators Panfilo Lacson and Richard Gordon to discuss efforts to unite the opposition for next year’s national elections.
The false graphic got over 3,400 FB interactions, and could have reached over 2.94 million people, according to social media monitoring tool CrowdTangle. Its top traffic generators include FB pages RUN SARA RUN for PRESIDENT, Good News Supporters, and Marcos Avid Fans, Like This Page.
JUST Philippines was created in July 2020, Alon Calinao Dy in January 2014.
(Editor’s Note: VERA Files has partnered with Facebook to fight the spread of disinformation. Find out more about this partnership and our methodology.)
