Television and radio show host Erwin Tulfo erroneously claimed that the Nueva Ecija caravan of presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and his running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio was not covered by broadcast and online news media.
Several media organizations did, in fact, report on the event, which drew a huge crowd. The Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) have aired concerns over the jam-packed rallies of electoral aspirants due to COVID-19 concerns.
STATEMENT
On Dec. 5, Tulfo published a video of the caravan on his official Facebook (FB) page with the caption:
“SAMANTALA… ITO ANG KAGANAPAN SA SAN JOSE CITY, NUEVA ECIJA KANINA NA HINDI LUMABAS SA MGA BIAS (sic) TV STATIONS AT ONLINE NEWS (as usual).”
(Meanwhile… This is the event in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija earlier that did not appear on biased TV stations and online news (as usual).)
Source: Erwin Tulfo official Facebook page, SAMANTALA…, Dec. 5, 2021
The video, showing a large crowd in red cheering for Marcos as he thanked them for welcoming him, has gotten about 885,000 views and garnered more than 98,000 reactions, 7,300 comments and 23,000 shares as of 7:04 p.m., Dec. 7.
FACT
Tulfo did not specify which media outlets he was pertaining to. But several news media organizations, both broadcast and online, did cover the event, including:
DOH, DILG and Comelec have expressed their worries over the “overcrowded” political events amid the emergence of the new Omicron coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) virus variant, warning aspirants that political rallies are “not allowed” before the start of the campaign period.
VERA Files Fact Check earlier debunked a similar false claim accusing the local media of not reporting on an event where Marcos appeared. (See VERA FILES FACT CHECK: Online posts FALSE, media DID report on Marcos Jr. at SAF44 event)
Marcos is facing six petitions challenging his candidacy in the 2022 elections that have been raffled off to the 1st and 2nd divisions of the Comelec. (See Marcos has not paid tax deficiencies and fine on 1997 evasion case, says court)
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Sources
ABS-CBN News, TV Patrol Weekend livestream, Dec. 5, 2021
ABS-CBN News, Sakto | Teleradyo, Dec. 6, 2021
CNN Philippines, Comelec 1st division to handle 2 more disqualification cases vs. Bongbong Marcos, Dec. 6, 2021
CNN Philippines, LOOK: Presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos…, Dec. 5, 2021
Department of Interior and Local Government, DILG: Political rallies not allowed; let’s wait for the campaign period, Dec. 2, 2021
GMA News, 24 Oras Weekend Express, Dec. 5, 2021
GMA News, Comelec First Division to hear petition to disqualify Bongbong Marcos, Dec. 6, 2021
Manila Bulletin, Presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos…, Dec. 5, 2021
News5, Dinagsa at mainit na sinalubong…, Dec. 5, 2021
Philstar News, DOH to candidates: Don’t hold over crowded gatherings, Dec. 6, 2021
Rappler, 2 more DQ cases vs Marcos assigned to Comelec’s 1st division, Dec. 6, 2021
Rappler, LOOK: Novo Ecijanos welcomes…, Dec. 5, 2021
UNTV Radyo La Verdad, TINGNAN: Presidential Aspirant Bongbong Marcos…, Dec. 5, 2021
World Health Organization, Classification of Omicron (B.1.1.529): SARS-COV-2 Variant of Concer, Nov. 26, 2021
(Guided by the code of principles of the International Fact-Checking Network at Poynter, VERA Files tracks the false claims, flip-flops, misleading statements of public officials and figures, and debunks them with factual evidence. Find out more about this initiative and our methodology.)
