A TikTok video repeated unproven and false claims about the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) and the wealth of the Marcos family. It gained a million views and a lot of interactions on Facebook before it was deleted.
The video spliced different clips including one where former President Ferdinand Marcos supposedly criticized his successor, Corazon Aquino, for putting politics above public good in deciding against the operation of the power plant and warning that the Philippines will fall after 20 years because of this mistake.
The in-video text read: “KUNG HINDI DAHIL SA MGA AQUINO NA YAN SANA MAY SARILING NUCLEAR NA TAYO NGAYON (If not for the Aquinos we would have our own nuclear [power plant]).”
VERA Files Fact Check previously debunked this unproven claim. An almost-identical statement appeared in a Sept. 20, 2014 Interaksyon article by Joel Paredes, but its authenticity is unconfirmed and no other legitimate media outlets reported on it.
President Aquino issued Executive Order No. 55 in 1986 to shut down the BNPP for reasons of “safety and economy.” An investigation done by the Commission on Nuclear Power Plants made the same conclusion in 1979.
The video also included a clip of Marcos’ April 8, 1986 interview with ABC News’ Nightline where the former dictator said he did not steal from the Filipino people.
Not true. These claims have been earlier debunked by VERA Files Fact Check. Cases in the Supreme Court and the Sandiganbayan have proven that the Marcoses bought expensive paintings and jewelry with money stolen from the Philippine government.
The now-deleted TikTok video was posted by TikTok user bringbackmarcos2022 on March 1, after the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that thin power reserves threaten Luzon in the coming election months. It got a total of 21,000 reactions, 3,600 comments, 52,000 shares, and one million views.
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