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FACT CHECK

​VERA FILES FACT CHECK: No, PNoy is NOT running for senator in 2022

A reader requested VERA Files to review a report that appeared on Peso economics (pesoeconomics.blogspot.com) claiming former President Benigno Aquino III wants to make a comeback in the Senate in 2022. The article is fabricated.

Published Sept. 20, Peso economics wrote Aquino “wants to back (sic) to Senate in 2022” and that the former chief executive said in his official social media account that “he wants some critical and significant laws that need (sic) to be passed.”

The article then proceeds to name three bills filed by Aquino when he was a Senator during the 14thCongress (2007-2010), which did not become law. It used an image of Aquino and his family during his inauguration as President in 2010.

This story is fake.

A check on the former chief executive’s official Facebook page and official Twitter account show that the last post made was on February 2019. It was Aquino’s statement on the House committee report on the Dengvaxia controversy that recommended the filing of criminal and administrative charges against him and other officials in his administration.

This fabricated story has been cross-posted on at least 12 public Facebook groups and may have reached over 400,000 people.

This is the third article on Peso economics that has been flagged as fake by VERA Files. The first two were fabricated stories on Vice President Leni Robredo.

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