Pro-Marcos page misleads with old Philstar graphic
A pro-Marcos Facebook page posted April 8 a misleading claim that The Philippine Star released a fake senatorial preferences survey that moved Senate bet Imee Marcos down to 14th place.
The post from Marcos Loyalist Philippines, “Did you know why Philippine Star is always an anti-Marcos newspaper?”, published an old graphic from the online news portal Philstar.com and said:
Did you know why Philippine Star is always an anti-Marcos newspaper? Basahin po ninyo lahat ng nakasulat. Naglalabas ng FAKE SURVEY at nilaglag si Manang Imee Marcos sa pang rank 14 (Read all that is written. It released a fake survey and moved Imee Marcos to rank 14).
It called the broadsheet “anti-Marcos” because of its association with the late president Corazon Aquino.
The Facebook page was actually referring to a July 9, 2018 article of Philstar.com that correctly reported Pulse Asia’s June 2018 survey results in its text and graphic.
Arranging the candidates according to voter preference, the graphic did not even state that Marcos, with her 29.9 percent, was 14th. Pulse Asia placed her in the 13th to 20th bracket at the time.
The Philippine Star publishes its stories online through Philstar.com. The two are separate companies and produce their own content. Although several of their owners are the same, their ownership and organizational structures are different.
Philstar.com also accurately reported Pulse Asia’s more recent surveys in February 2019 and March 2019.
Its story on the February 2019 poll said Marcos was among the candidates with a “statistical chance of making it to the winners’ circle.” A graphic showed her in “9-14” spots with 36 percent voters likely to pick her.
Its report on the March 2019 results said:
Completing the ‘Magic 12’ are former Sen. Bong Revilla with 40.9% and Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos with 39%.
In tracing the beginnings and ownership of The Philippine Star, co-founded by the Belmonte family who supported Corazon Aquino, Marcos Loyalist Philippines lifted from the research on media ownership by Reporters Without Borders and Vera Files.
The November 2016 research quoted the paper's president and chief executive officer Miguel Belmonte as saying, "(T)he paper supports the current Duterte administration."
Joy Belmonte, the incumbent Quezon City vice mayor who owns shares across different companies of STAR, is now running for mayor with the backing of the administration Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), which is also supporting Marcos’ candidacy.
Belmonte’s local party Serbisyo ng Bayan entered into an alliance with Sara Duterte’s HNP in August. Her father, Feliciano Jr., had been a Liberal Party stalwart since 2009 till he resigned from the party associated with the Aquinos in October.
The Facebook post has received 833 total interactions as of writing. Social media monitoring tool CrowdTangle shows its top sources of interactions are Facebook pages Marcos Loyalist, Marcos Defenders Worldwide Unlimited and Bongbong Marcos United Nationwide apart from Marcos Loyalist Philippines.
References
Cabrera, R. (2018, November 10). Hugpong forges alliance with Quezon City party. The Philippine Star. Retrieved from https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/11/10/1867346/hugpong-forges-alliance-quezon-city-party
Cepeda, M. (2018, October 12). Look: Quezon City congressman Sonny Belmonte resigns from LP. Rappler. Retrieved from https://www.rappler.com/nation/214194-sonny-belmonte-resignation-liberal-party-retirement-politics
Grace Poe continues to sustain lead in Pulse Asia senatorial poll. (2019, March 18). Philstar.com. Retrieved from https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/03/18/1902539/grace-poe-continues-sustain-lead-pulse-asia-senatorial-poll
Marcos Loyalist Philippines. (2019, April 8). Did you know why Philippine Star is always an anti- Marcos newspaper?: https://www.facebook.com/marcosloyalistphilippines/ [Facebook update]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/marcosloyalistphilippines/posts/427886434651155
Media Ownership Monitor-Philippines. (2016). Philstar.com. Retrieved from https://philippines.mom-rsf.org/en/media/detail/outlet/philstarcom/
Media Ownership Monitor-Philippines. (2016). The Belmonte family. Retrieved from https://philippines.mom-rsf.org/en/owners/individual-owners/detail/owner/owner/show/the-belmonte-family/
Media Ownership Monitor-Philippines (2016). Philippine Star. Retrieved from https://philippines.mom-rsf.org/en/media/detail/outlet/philippine-star/
Musico, J. (2018, August 13). Mayor Sara's 'Hugpong' inks alliance with 9 political parties. Philippine News Agency. Retrieved from https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1044695
Pulse Asia. (2018, July 9). June 2018 nationwide survey on the May 2019 senatorial elections. Retrieved from http://www.pulseasia.ph/june-2018-nationwide-survey-on-the-may-2019-senatorial-elections/
Pulse Asia. (2019, March 18). February 2019 nationwide survey on the May 2019 senatorial elections. Retrieved from http://www.pulseasia.ph/february-2019-nationwide-survey-on-the-may-2019-senatorial-elections/
Pulse Asia. (2019, April 11). March 2019 nationwide survey on the May 2019 senatorial elections. Retrieved from http://www.pulseasia.ph/march-2019-nationwide-survey-on-the-may-2019-senatorial-elections/
Ranada, P. (2018, August 13). Hugpong ng Pagbabago seals alliance with NP, NPC, NUP. Rappler. Retrieved from https://www.rappler.com/nation/209436-hugpong-ng-pagbabago-alliance-national-parties
Tolentino, M. (2018, October 14). Sonny Belmonte leaves politics. The Manila Times. Retrieved from https://www.manilatimes.net/sonny-belmonte-leaves-politics/451937/
Viray, P. (2018, July 8). Grace Poe, Pia Cayetano top 2019 Senate survey. Philstar.com. Retrieved from https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/07/09/1831986/grace-poe-pia-cayetano-top-2019-senate-survey
Viray, P. (2019, April 11). Roxas, Pimentel slip; Tolentino, Estrada enter Pulse Asia 'Magic 12.’ Philstar.com. Retrieved from https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/04/11/1909171/roxas-pimentel-slip-tolentino-estrada-enter-pulse-asia-magic-12
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