Yesterday Vice President Leni Robredo accused Philippine Star of spreading fake news after they published a story on how the former representative of Naga City lost 21,000 vote against former senator Bongbong Marcos in the Presidential Electional Tribunal recount.
The story has also been published by several media outlets like PTV-4, Manila Bulletin and Standard.
In her Facebook post, Robredo slammed Philippine Star for allegedly conditioning the minds of the public.
“This is fake news. Propaganda meant to condition the minds of the public. 2 weeks ago, PR stunt was we already lost 5,000 votes. Both are fake. If you really won the elections, why the need for fake news?” Robredo said.
Later on, one radio station expressed its support to the media outlets attacked by Robredo.
Radyo Inquirer, as part of the Press Freedom Day tweeted that they’re supporting Edu Punay of Philippine Star, Manila Bulletin, PTV 4 and other journalists.
We are standing with Edu Punay of Philippine Star, Manila Bulletin, Standard, Tribune, PTV 4 and our fellow journalists. #protect press freedom #NoToDisinformation #NoToFakeNews #WorldPressFreedomDay
— RadyoInquirer990AM (@dzIQ990) May 3, 2018
According to Attorney Glenn Chong, the move of Robredo to attack the media was wrong move and wrong timing.
He believed that the action of Robredo to directly attack the press in her social media account is a form of censorship.
“Layunin nito na takutin ang media upang hindi magpalabas ng mga news na hindi pabor o hindi naaayon sa pananaw ni Robredo.” Chong said in his latest Facebook post.
“Kaya nagsimula ng umalma ang media sa ginawa ni Robredo dahil malinaw sa kanila na ang ginawa ni Robredo ay prior restraint o prior censorship. Sa kanilang pananaw, ito ay atake sa freedom of the press. Mali na nga ang stratehiyang ito, mali pa ang timing.” he added.
Chong in his previous post said that if Robredo wanted to prove that the report of Philippine star was ‘fake news’ she should show an evidence that it was only made up to condition the minds of the people.
“Gusto ni Robredo na basta’t maniwala na lang tayo sa kanyang sinabi na fake news ito. Wala siyang binanggit o ipinakitang katunayan na mali o hindi ito totoo. Hindi sapat ang kanyang laway lamang upang paniwalaan ang kanyang alternatibong pananaw dahil hindi siya santa at wala siyang pruweba.” Chong said.
Chong claimed a document from PET officials may be the basis of the report that Robredo lost 21,000 votes.
“Katunayan, ang pinagbasehan ng report na bumaba na ang kanyang lamang ng mahigit 21,000 votes ay nanggagaling mismo sa opisyal na dokumento ng PET – ang Revision Reports na nilagdan ng mga taong direktang may kinalaman sa pagrerebisa ng mga boto.” Chong said.
“Sa Revision Reports na ito nakatala ang lahat ng detalye ng kalagayan ng mga ballot boxes, balota, election documents, paraphernalia at marami pang ibang mga bagay na inutos ng PET na i-record.”
He said that if Philippine Star made the revision reports as basis, it might be true that the info that they received came from a real insider and not from the PR machine of Bongbong Marcos.
“Dahil sa mga Revision Reports na ito, maaring totoo nga na nanggaling talaga sa insider information ang news reports na nabawasan si Robredo ng mahigit 21,000 votes. Ito ay taliwas sa sinabi ni Robredo na galing ito sa PR machinery ni BBM. At kung pare-pareho man ang pagkasulat ng reports ng iba’t-ibang pahayagan, hindi nangangahulugang galing ito sa PR machinery dahil nagkokopyahan naman talaga ang media ng kanilang mga reports.” he said.
