A fabricated quote card posted as early as Nov. 15 on Facebook (FB) claims Wowowin television host Willie Revillame rebuked President Rodrigo Duterte amid a string of devastating typhoons, saying he should sell what he does not need to help the victims.
This is fake. There is no record of Revillame making that statement. This has also been debunked by the show host himself.
“Mr…Duterte, Aanhin mo ang magandang kotse at jetplane kung marami kang Kababayang Naghihirap na nalunod sa baha Ibenta mo na ang Hindi kailangan (Mr. Duterte, what good is having a beautiful car and jet plane if many of our countrymen are suffering, having drowned in the flood. Sell what you don’t need) I THINK ITS THE RIGTH TIME (sic),” the concocted statement read.
A logo of media network GMA News and Public Affairs Digital can be seen below the text, as well as the attribution: “TV HOST WILLIE REVILLAME sold his car and donated the proceeds to typhoon victims.”
But the image is a manipulated and lower-quality copy of GMA News’ Nov. 14 infographic. It carried a statement Revillame made on that day’s episode of his show Tutok to Win, after pledging the proceeds of a car he sold to the flood-hit cities of Marikina and Montalban, Rizal.
“Aanhin ko ang magandang kotse kung marami akong kababayang naghihirap. Kahit magbenta pa ng mga pag-aari na hindi mo na kailangan, (What use will I have with a beautiful car when many of my countrymen are suffering. Sell possessions you don’t need) I think this is the right time.”
Revillame called the circulating post “fake news” five days later during the Nov. 19 episode of Tutok to Win.
“Isipin mo, in-address ko si Presidente eh wala naman akong sinasabing ganyan (Think about it, [it claims] I addressed the President when I didn’t say that),” he said.
Revillame added he does not have any personal social media accounts where he could have made the statement online.
The fake quote appeared a day after Revillame announced selling his luxury car to help victims of severe flooding brought by Typhoon Ulysses, internationally known as Vamco.
At least four of the fake quote cards circulating on FB collectively reached over 400 shares.
(Editor’s Note: VERA Files has partnered with Facebook to fight the spread of disinformation. Find out more about this partnership and our methodology.)
