The same week senators held a hearing on the alleged irregularities in the 2016 national elections, two websites rehashed old stories claiming Leni Robredo cheated her way to the vice presidency.
From July 28 to Aug. 5, false reports by websites The Daily Sentry (thedailysentry.net) and News Center PH (newscenterph.info) claiming 8,700 dead people voted for Robredo in 2016 were repeatedly shared in social media.
The Daily Sentry report, first posted May 7, bore the headline, “Robredo’s fellow Bicolana withdraws support after proof of her camp’s alleged cheating surfaces!”
The News Center PH report bore the headline, “Finally Confirmed! Libo-Libong Patay, Nakaboto para kay Leni ayon sa Veteran Journalist (Finally Confirmed! Thousands of dead people were able to vote for Leni, according to a veteran journalist)”
Both claimed the Commission on Elections “confirmed” Robredo’s ghost votes. The poll body made no such confirmation, and no reputable news organization has published a report reflecting the claim.
Website Meme Buster had also already debunked similar stories last January 24 and April 7, after websites bacolod.altervista.org and localhero.altervista.org claimed 8,654 dead people voted for Robredo, while a viral Facebook post by a certain Patricia Laurel claimed the number was 7,800.
The false The Daily Sentry and News Center PH reports, which resurfaced as senators conducted July 31 a probe into alleged irregularities in the 2016 elections, could have reached more than 2.1 million people.
Their biggest traffic generators on social media are The Daily Sentry’s official Facebook page and The Filipino News.
The Daily Sentry was created January 10, News Center PH on January 2.
(Editor’s Note: VERA Files has partnered with Facebook to fight the spread of disinformation. Find out more about this partnership and our methodology.)
