Fake: Viral photo of Duterte, et al. holding ‘PH Province of China’ banner

A viral photo that showed President Rodrigo Duterte with other government officials greeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping at Malacañang with a banner stating “Welcome to the Philippines, Province of China” is fake.

In a fact-check, the Agence France Presse (AFP) said Thursday: “The post is false and uses an altered photo to mislead.”

The altered photo was shared by multiple Facebook pages as the Chinese president visited the country for a two-day state visit from November 20-21.

READ: Xi Jinping arrives in PH for two-day state visit

Screenshot courtesy of AFP

Screenshot from AFP Factcheck website

According to the French news agency, the original photo was from former Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, who posted it in his official twitter account during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Vietnam on November 12, 2017.

The original photo showed Duterte with other Philippine officials posing with Xi during the said event.

Team Duterte with Pres Xi Jinping https://t.co/A9RTqLJ6KC pic.twitter.com/zj5kCeXarF

— Harry Roque (@attyharryroque) November 11, 2017

“The misleading image has been shared by groups that oppose Duterte,” the AFP noted.

It can be recalled that the banner in the altered photo were seen hanging on several footbridges in Metro Manila last July.

READ: ‘Welcome to the Philippines, Province of China’ banners hung on footbridges

The banners emerged in time for the second anniversary of The Hague’s ruling that invalidated China’s claim to nearly all of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea. /kga

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