WHAT WENT BEFORE: Mocking Roxas with fake news, photos

After the campaign season began, this photo of former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas drinking water with his cupped hand, posted on the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s Twitter account in April 2015, was altered to show he was drinking from a plate. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — In February, just ahead of the start of the campaign period for senators, a manipulated photo of senatorial candidate Mar Roxas of the opposition Otso Diretso slate showed the former interior secretary drinking water from a plate.

The original photo, posted on the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s Twitter account in April 2015, had Roxas crouching beside a faucet, with no plate in sight.

The altered photo recently resurfaced online to mock Roxas. His camp has been dismissing the viral photo as fake since 2016.

Fake news continue to hound the former presidential contender, among them memes asking about the allegedly missing rehabilitation funds for victims of Supertyphoon “Yolanda,”  despite reports from the Commission on Audit clearing Roxas, and rehabilitation czar Sen. Panfilo Lacson categorically stating that Roxas did not steal any typhoon funds.

In March, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it was doubling efforts to protect the integrity of the ballot and was partnering with social media to take down posts that would undermine the legitimacy of election results in May.

Its spokesperson, James Jimenez, said the poll body was coordinating with Facebook and other social media platforms to remove fake news about the elections.

In April, #WeTheBrave, a broad youth movement representing 600 leaders of over 300 youth groups nationwide, called on their peers to be more active in countering fake news and helping share reliable information that would allow voters to make informed choices in the polls.

On April 15, the Comelec again warned against fake news after rumors started circulating about overseas voting, among them the election results and allegations of cheating in Hong Kong.

Jimenez debunked the rumors and said results of overseas voting would not be released until after election day on May 13.  —INQUIRER RESEARCH

Source: Inquirer Archives