CLAIM: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. filed a case against Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Barzaga
RATING: FALSE
A Facebook page named “Geryen TV Official,” along with several others, erroneously claimed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had a direct hand in filing sedition and rebellion cases against Cavite’s controversial fourth district representative, Francisco “Kiko” Barzaga.
Flagged content: A graphic posted on Facebook explicitly tagged Marcos Jr. as the primary complainant of the charges pressed against Barzaga.
- The graphic featured photos of Marcos Jr. and Barzaga side by side.
- It also included text that reads: “MARCOS FILES SEDITION AND REBELLION CASE AGAINST CONGRESSMAN KIKO BARZAGA” (sic).
- The post did not include any information about the specifics of the case, as well as context.
Our debunk: On Nov. 12, news broke that sedition and rebellion charges were filed against Barzaga in connection with his tirades against Marcos Jr. and his administration, amid the billion-peso flood control scandal.
- The Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) confirmed in a Facebook post that it had filed criminal charges against Barzaga for statements during the Sept. 21 anti-corruption protests. The PNP-CIDG cited a news report from ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol.
- In another post on Nov. 13, this time sharing a news clip from state-controlled PTV, CIDG Acting Director Alexander Morico II is seen telling members of the press that Barzaga was sued by Forbes Park homeowners for a separate incident, an anti-government protest on Oct. 14.
- A subpoena obtained by the media, dated Nov. 12, shows CIDG charging Barzaga with allegedly inciting sedition and rebellion, both violations of Articles 142 and 138 of the Revised Penal Code. The CIDG, however, did not specify the details of the criminal complaint.
- As of the time of writing, no evidence has been found linking Marcos Jr. to the lawsuit; similarly, the president has remained silent on the matter.
Rewind: On Sept. 21, large-scale protests erupted in different parts of the country, condemning corruption scandals involving the flood control projects.
- Barzaga has been a vocal critic of the Marcos Jr. administration and its handling of the flood control scandal.
- On Oct. 14, Barzaga called for a demonstration at Forbes Park, Makati.
Why we fact-checked this: Several social media posts had echoed the same claim – drawing tens of thousands of reactions on Facebook as well as shares.
Spot the fake: Claims on social media can be easily amplified. One must learn how to discern between facts and malicious narratives.
- Always look for credible first-hand sources.
- Always seek official statements and announcements.
- Cross-check and verify. Hurt Allauigan
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