By Mariela Angella Oladive
Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. has urged the public to be cautious in consuming information amid the widespread circulation of false reports following the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Be careful of what you read and what you listen to. We all have the responsibility to ensure that what we believe in is true,” Defensor said during a press conference Friday, March 14.
“Unlike traditional media, which is regulated and adheres to a system of accountability, social media allows anyone to impersonate others and spread misinformation without consequences. So mag-andam lang kita [we should be wary],” he added.
Defensor also warned about the vulnerability of young people, who have easy access to social media through smartphones.
One example of recent misinformation includes fabricated posts falsely attributed to The Washington Post and BBC News, claiming that former U.S. President Donald Trump commented on Duterte’s arrest over an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant.
A viral post alleged that Trump urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to return Duterte to the Philippines or face sanctions, while another claimed Trump would impose a 50% tariff on Philippine imports.
Both claims were debunked, confirming that neither news outlet published such reports and that Trump made no such statements.
Another false claim circulating online involved a video alleging that locals and overseas Filipino workers in the Netherlands were protesting after Duterte was brought to The Hague to face charges.
A fact-check revealed that the footage was actually from a protest in Belgrade, Serbia, and had been manipulated to include audio chanting “Duterte, Duterte.”
The video garnered thousands of reactions and shares before being debunked.
Defensor clarified that his warning was not solely about misinformation related to Duterte’s arrest but applied to all forms of false information spreading online.
“Social media is very open. Too much of everything is poison,” he said.
