A YouTube video falsely claimed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had removed Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from her post. Arroyo remains as representative of the 2nd district of Pampanga. The House only stripped the former president of her role as deputy speaker.
Uploaded on Nov. 8, a day after Arroyo was ousted as deputy speaker, the video bore the headline:
“KAKAPASOK LANG Grabe ang nangyare Kay GLORIA ARROYO walang KAWALA sa KONGRESO Nilusaw ni Pres Marcos (Just in. Something really bad happened to Gloria Arroyo. No escape from Congress. Dismissed by President Marcos).”
Its thumbnail also carried a text that read: “PINA-TALSIK NA! PBBM SINIBAK SI GLORIA (Ousted! PBBM removed Gloria from her post)!”
The president has no such power and Marcos has not issued any statement on Arroyo. Only the House of Representatives is entitled to remove any of its members. Only House members can dismiss a fellow lawmaker after a two-thirds vote.
The former president was only stripped of her designation as deputy speaker after she failed to sign a resolution supporting Speaker Martin Romualdez’s leadership amid former president Rodrigo Duterte’s tirades against the House. Another deputy speaker was also relieved of his post for the same reason.
In a statement on Nov. 8, Arroyo said she was unable to sign the resolution because she was abroad. She also reaffirmed her support for Romualdez. The lawmaker previously held the title of senior deputy speaker, but was demoted from that position in May.
The video merely played clips from Nov. 7 and Nov. 8 Bombo Radyo news reports, as well as commentary from broadcaster Mike Abe about Arroyo’s removal as deputy speaker.
Uploaded by YouTube channel PHILIPPINES TRENDING NEWS with 441,000 subscribers, the erroneous video has drawn 7,818 views.
VERA Files Fact Check has debunked numerous claims about Marcos dismissing lawmakers in the House and in the Senate.
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