By Nikko A. Balbedina III
Binanatan? Sinupalpal? Dinurog?
These buzzwords are the favored tools of YouTube channels PressOne.PH has monitored for spreading disinformation, exaggerating and even imagining Senate confrontations to inflate Sen. Rodante Marcoleta’s image as a maverick and an intellectual superior to his fellow lawmakers.
PressOne.PH reached out to Marcoleta’s office for comment, but has received no response as of publishing time.
Why it matters: As Filipinos crave minute-by-minute updates on the flood-control corruption probes, news-cycle disinformation exploits the gap, crafting false images of political figures and swaying perceptions on the proceedings and the personalities involved, potentially influencing their standing ahead of the 2028 national elections.
What we know so far: PressOne.PH has been monitoring YouTube channels posting fake “breaking news” updates, which muddle the public’s understanding of the flood-control mess.
- As of this writing, PressOne.PH has collated nearly 500 videos from multiple channels into a database.
- Bearing names like “Viral TV,” “TRENDING PINAS NEWS,” and “PINAS NEWS INSIDER,” these YouTube channels pose as legitimate outlets, relying on buzzwords like “News” and “TV” to mislead viewers.
- The video titles also rely on buzzwords like “Kakapasok Lang” (Just In) to mimic the urgency of real breaking news, stealing attention from channels that publish verified information.
- The channels’ habit of mocking some officials with derogatory nicknames while naming others neutrally suggests where their loyalties might lie.
False breaking updates are warping the news cycle
In Depth: Fake ‘breaking news’ on YouTube muddle info on Senate, House power shift amid flood control mess
For context: Following the recent shake-up in the Senate leadership, neophyte senator Marcoleta was replaced by veteran lawmaker Panfilo “Ping” Lacson as chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee. Since then, a rift has surfaced between Lacson and Marcoleta as regards how the probe is led.
- On Sept. 10, newly installed Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III denied the request made by Marcoleta to place contractor couple Sarah and Pacifico Discaya under the Witness Protection Program of the Department of Justice.
- Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla earlier stated that the Discayas must first surrender their alleged ill-gotten gains from corrupt contracts to qualify as state witnesses and receive legal immunity.
- During the Sept. 23 committee hearing, Marcoleta questioned the impartiality of the Lacson-led blue ribbon committee, citing a news interview where Lacson stated his belief that sacked DPWH engineer Brice Hernandez was most deserving of witness protection.
- Lacson countered that Marcoleta had no authority to challenge his views outside the Senate and pressed him on why he was “so protective of the Discayas.”
- Arguing that the law does not mandate restitution for the Discayas to become state witnesses, Marcoleta clashed, too, with Remulla, who maintained that a condition could be made because public funds are at stake.
The patterns: Of the 463 videos analyzed, exactly 82 titles depicted Marcoleta in a dominant position. The most prominent pattern is falsely portraying Marcoleta as intellectually superior by inventing or exaggerating confrontations with other political figures. The video titles are filled with aggressive Filipino slang to create a sense of conflict and victory.
- Video titles claimed Marcoleta “toasted” (tinusta), “scolded/soaped” (sinabon), “slammed” (binakbakan), or “pulverized” (dinurog) his opponents, pairing these buzzwords with brief snippets from Senate livestreams showing the senator speaking.
- While some of the videos did accurately mention the “heated exchange” (nagka-initan) between Marcoleta and Lacson, they exaggerated some into “intense fights” (matinding bakbakan) that supposedly included Sotto as well.
- At least one video even falsely claimed that Marcoleta punched then-House speaker Martin Romualdez in the face.
- Other targets of these fabricated showdowns included Justice Secretary Remulla and senators Raffy Tulfo and Kiko Pangilinan.
- Titles also suggested that other officials were afraid of him, using phrases like “you should be scared” (kabahan kana), or that there was “no escape from Marcoleta” (walang lusot kay Marcoleta). Others claimed he was “warning” officials or that people were trying to flee from him.
- The videos consistently framed Marcoleta as the victor, with opponents being humiliated, unable to respond, or having their “stupidity” exposed.
- For instance, one title claimed Tito Sotto “was helpless” (walang nagawa) against Sen. Marcoleta, while another asserted that Marcoleta made his opponents “look like fools.”
- For instance, one title claimed Tito Sotto “was helpless” (walang nagawa) against Sen. Marcoleta, while another asserted that Marcoleta made his opponents “look like fools.”
- Another subtle but important pattern PressOne.PH has discovered is the effort to associate Marcoleta with other powerful political figures, thereby elevating his own status.
- One video insinuated that Vice President Sara Duterte and Marcoleta were already discussing possible cabinet appointments in anticipation of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s potential ouster or resignation.
- Another video falsely positioned him as working to secure the release of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is in the custody of the International Criminal Court, framing him as a key player in high-stakes political maneuvers.
- He is also shown to be leading the Blue Ribbon Committee investigation into the flood control issue, even after being replaced as chair in reality.
- Some videos have suggested a potential 2028 presidential ticket, with Sara Duterte running for president and Marcoleta as her vice president.
Of the 82 videos monitored, 76 came from YouTube channel REACTION TV PH. It has also published at least two videos that portrayed the senator negatively. This suggests a complex strategy to create more engagement or the presence of multiple operators with different goals.
Video thumbnails and titles from YouTube channel REACTION TV PH combine buzzwords with altered images of public figures, often exaggerating their facial expressions to heighten drama and conflict. GRAPHICS BY NIKKO BALBEDINA
The counter-narratives: It is also worth noting that a smaller number of videos in the database presented a negative portrayal, suggesting a competing disinformation effort.
- Fourteen titles claimed Marcoleta was “humiliated” (napahiya), “exposed” (buking na), or implicated in corruption himself, adding a layer of complexity to the overall disinformation activity.
- One of the channels published videos with titles accusing Marcoleta of releasing a fake sex video of Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, framing him as an aggressor. Another title included his name in a list of figures connected to a fake violent incident against Romualdez.
- One video implicated the senator as an “accomplice in the flood control” issue without evidence.
Spot the fake: Sensational claims of a decisive outcome or dramatic standoff between politicians should be treated as high-risk, as such narratives may serve broader political agendas that could influence the 2028 national elections.
- Watch the tape: Apart from the executive hearings, Senate deliberations are typically streamed online by the Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau and is rebroadcast by multiple legitimate news agencies, allowing viewers to verify statements and context for themselves.
- Read the reports: Events of the sort these YouTube channels fabricate and exaggerate would normally generate substantial written coverage, which serves as a dependable basis for fact-checking and verification.
- Check your source: Always verify the channel or page posting the video. Legitimate news outlets clearly identify themselves and cite verifiable facts, while disinformation channels often hide behind generic names and lack transparent ownership.
The bottom line: This coordinated stream of sensational videos isn’t harmless clickbait—it’s an organized effort to rewrite ongoing Senate debates and recast the image of certain political players. Staying skeptical, double-checking sources, and relying on official records are key to stopping this narrative before it reshapes political perceptions ahead of 2028. (with reports from Hurt Allauigan, Leigh San Diego, Daniela Solis & Ysabel Javier)
This report was made possible by an Internews project to build the capacity of news organizations in understanding disinformation and influence operations in the Philippines.
0 Comments