The audio of a one-minute video of presidential candidate Leni Robredo’s Feb. 8 proclamation rally was replaced to make it sound like the audience was chanting “BBM” in support of her political rival Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
This is fake. In videos uploaded on Robredo’’s official Facebook (FB) page, supporters at the rally were actually chanting the slogan “Ipasok si Dick (Let Dick in),” and not “BBM” after the vice president introduced Sen. Richard Gordon, a candidate under Robredo’s senatorial slate. Gordon used this slogan in the 2016 election campaign after it became trending in 2013.
VERA Files Fact Check has debunked another version of the same video, which claimed that the crowd chanted “Marcos pa rin (Still Marcos)” or “Marcos kami (We’re for Marcos)” during Robredo’s proclamation rally in Bicol.
ABS-CBN News and Fact Check Philippines, VERA Files’ partners in the election-related fact checking project Tsek.ph, have also debunked the video.
The original audio of the “BBM” chant overlaid on the Robredo video came from a Feb. 8 video of Facebook page Engr. Berto, capturing the moment when Marcos Jr.’s supporters shouted in unison as the band Plethora performed at the Philippine Arena.
Several netizens expressed support for Marcos Jr, but others noted that the video was edited to spread “fake news”.
FB page Blackbirde (created on Sept. 8, 2021) and DU30 Media Network (created on June 9, 2016) posted the fake clip on Feb. 9. FB user Even Demata, who previously posted claims debunked by VERA Files Fact Check, uploaded on Feb. 10 a version of the altered clip which has been deleted on TikTok.
These three copies generated a total of 35,200 reactions, 9,000 comments, 17,530 shares and 672,000 views, appearing a day after the official campaign period for national candidates kicked off on Feb. 8.
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(Editor’s Note: VERA Files has partnered with Facebook to fight the spread of disinformation. Find out more about this partnership and our methodology.)
