Pro-Duterte Facebook page Bayang Pilipinas published April 26 a fabricated post claiming Sen. Risa Hontiveros will file a resolution allowing rebel groups to receive minimum wage salary and other benefits.
The post was photoshopped to look like a screen capture of a tweet by blogger Jover Laurio in her “Pinoy Ako Blog.” It splices a photo of Hontiveros during the 2013 senatorial campaign and a photo of armed New People’s Army rebels from a 2014 report by the Asian Correspondent. A fake quote from Hontiveros was added, which read “After all they are considered heroes of the land . they are risking their lives for country.”
Hontiveros debunked the claim in her official Facebook and Twitter pages on April 28, calling it “fake news.”
Walang pagod ang mga ito sa pagpapakalat ng fake news. Mukhang sila ata ang may sweldo, ano? pic.twitter.com/10VAxT7x3b
— risa hontiveros (@risahontiveros) April 28, 2018
The post comes six days after Hontiveros released a statement criticizing President Rodrigo Duterte for not pushing through with an executive order meant to end labor contractualization.
Bayang Pilipinas was created in February 2017. The post has been shared more than 1,300 times and could have reached more than 315,000 people.
(Editor’s Note: VERA Files has partnered with Facebook to fight the spread of disinformation. Find out more about this partnership and our methodology.)
