Fake news vs first family started after VP-Marcos rift, says Palace exec

MANILA, Philippines — Fake news against the first family began spreading when President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte had a rift, a Palace official said on Tuesday.

At a briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro relayed her observation with regard to the surfacing of false information against the Marcos family since the “UniTeam” fallout.

“Ever since, they have been targeted by fake news. This is nothing new. Fake news started when VP Sara’s relationship with the Marcos family turned sour,” she said in Filipino.

“There’s this study made by Mr. Balvidina, a journalist. He made this study that there is this country with a network that really propagates negative news or info or misinformation against the president and favoring the vice president,” she added.

Castro pointed out, however, that she was not specifically accusing Duterte of propagating fake news against the first family.

“I am not accusing anybody, but a lot of people are propagating misinformation against the president and the country,” she said.

Moreover, Castro added that Marcos, himself, feels “slightly affected” by the current state of social media in the country as the circulation of deceptive information remains rampant.

“In a way he is slightly affected. That’s why he asked the PCO [Presidential Communications Office] to do its job to counter fake news not just for himself but for the country.”

READ: Palace to vloggers: Prove Liza Marcos photo was edited

This issue arose after Castro was asked for Palace’ comment on claims of vloggers and social media personalities that the photos posted by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos taken during an Asian Cultural Council meeting last March 21  and posted on her social media accounts were edited.

Castro already belied the allegation, asking vloggers and social media personalities to present proof supporting their claim.