A video on YouTube claims that former Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro “Teddy” Casiño and BAYAN secretary-general Renato Reyes Jr., outspoken critics of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, have been apprehended by the Philippine National Police (PNP). This is not true.
On Oct. 4, the video appeared with the false headline:
“KAKAPASOK LANG! PRES BONGBONG UMAKSYON AGAD! TEDDY CASINO ARESTADO! RENATO REYES DINAMPOT! PNP AYOS
(Just in! Bongbong Marcos took action! Teddy Casiño arrested! Renato Reyes picked up! Nice, PNP)!”
Showing photos of the alleged arrest of Casiño and Reyes, the narrator in the video said the police and the military have ordered the arrest of the two men who are supposedly profiting from protests.
The rest of the 27-minute video shows a spliced clip taken from two episodes of SMNI News’ Laban Kasama ang Bayan program, where its hosts discussed whether the PNP can file a case against certain protesters.
The video offered no evidence to back its untrue claim. The photos of Casiño and Reyes shown in the video were taken years ago.
In an Oct. 6 email to VERA Files Fact Check, Casiño has denied that he was recently arrested. “Not true. I’m actually in a meeting right now, free as a bird,” he said.
Meanwhile, Reyes said in a message to VERA Files: “No truth of course.”
He remains active on his official social media accounts where, as of Oct. 6 at 8:14 a.m., he tweeted about receiving death threats online over his anti-Marcos stance and his thoughts on the first 100 days of the president.
The photo of Casiño’s “arrest” was taken during the 2014 World Economic Forum Asia in Makati, as police apprehended him during a demonstration where protesters criticized the administration of late president Benigno Aquino III.
On the other hand, the photo of Reyes only shows him drinking a beverage, which appears to have been taken during a 2015 “people’s hearing” on the Mamasapano clash. He is shown sporting the same clothes, bag strap and hairstyle in an ANC interview regarding the issue.
The circulating false video appeared days after critics, including Casiño and Reyes, slammed Marcos for attending the Formula One Grand Prix in Singapore while thousands of Filipinos were devastated by a recent typhoon.
YouTube channel VIRAL BALITA TV (created on June 12, 2021) published the incorrect video that garnered over 238,000 views and 6,500 interactions.
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