Marcos ‘slightly affected’ by fake news, says Palace

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos and his family have been the targets of fake news following the rift between the Chief Executive and Vice President Sara Duterte, according to a Malacañang official.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro made the remarks yesterday when asked to comment on supposed edited photos of Marcos and First Lady Liza Marcos on Facebook over the weekend, as claimed by some social media users.

“Ever since, they have been the target of fake news. There’s nothing new. Ever since VP Sara’s relationship with the Marcos family has turned sour, the fake news has started,” Castro said at a press briefing.

Asked how the President feels about social media posts about the country’s political situation and whether he is concerned by the widespread misinformation, Castro said Marcos is “slightly affected.”

“In a way he is slightly affected, that’s why they asked the PCO to do its job to counter fake news not only for himself but for the country,” Castro said.

Recently, social media posts alleged that the First Lady had been “detained” in the US.

Castro also dismissed the allegations that she is directly accusing the Vice President or the Duterte family of being behind the propaganda.

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

She also branded as fake news claims that the First Lady held a grudge against former president Rodrigo Duterte after her husband was not appointed agriculture secretary during the previous administration.

Citing a study by a certain journalist, the Palace press officer said there is a network in the country that propagates negative news or misinformation specifically against the President while favoring the Vice President.

She was referring to an investigative report presented at the House of Representatives, which found 107 suspicious accounts systematically publishing content supporting Duterte while attacking Marcos.

It was in April last year when the rift between the Marcoses and Dutertes became public, when the First Lady admitted to having ill feelings towards the Vice President after the latter allegedly laughed at a drug addict claim against her husband during a rally led by the Dutertes in Davao City.

In November last year, the Vice President launched attacks against her former running mate, revealing that she had ordered a member of her security team to kill the President, the First Lady and Marcos’ cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, in the event of her own assassination.