UPDATED: Photo misleads, contains false claim about LP

This updated article features the fact checks of Rappler and the University of the Philippines Journalism Department on the same online photo. Rappler rated misleading the photo's claim that only the Liberal Party is linked to multi-billion-peso scams. The University of the Philippines Journalism Department rated false the photo's claim that LP received a corruption award from Time magazine and the New York Times. – Ed.

MISLEADING: Only LP is linked to multi-billion-peso scams during Aquino time
By Rappler (Wednesday, April 10, 2019)

The Facebook page Manong Glenn Ignacio claimed in a post dated March 18, 2019, that the Liberal Party (LP) is linked to multi-billion-peso scams committed during the presidency of its chairman emeritus, Benigno Aquino III.

A yellow poster – referencing the LP color – containing a 12-item list of scams has a banner saying, "Congratulations Liberal Party's record-breaking revenue from 2010 to 2016." It also bears the logo of the party.

Each listed scam includes the supposed amount under investigation and the years covered. The poster claims that, from 2003 to 2013, the LP gained "revenue" from the P10-billion PDAF scam.

It also mocked the opposition party for being recognized by Time and The New York Times as the “best new business of the decade.”

The claim was spotted via Crowdtangle to have been posted by 35 other pro-Duterte pages and groups, garnering a total of 29,000 interactions as of writing.

This claim is misleading.

While some members of the LP were indeed allegedly involved in the multi-billion-peso pork barrel anomaly, members of other political parties have also been implicated, based on reports by the Commission on Audit. (READ: Aquino admin solons linked to pork barrel scam)

The P10-billion pork barrel scam involved not only politicians belonging to the LP, but also members of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party and the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA). (READ: No need for Janet Napoles: Cases vs LP lawmakers pending at Ombudsman).

The former lawmakers from other parties include Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr, who is running to return to the Senate. Revilla was acquitted by the anti-graft court of plunder charges in 2018 but was also ordered to return P124.5 million to the Philippine treasury. He is still facing graft charges in relation to the pork barrel scam. Revilla ran under the Romualdez-led Lakas-CMD during the 2013 campaign.

Jinggoy Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile, both of whom are also seeking to return to the Senate, are also facing plunder charges in relation to the PDAF scam. They both ran under UNA in 2013. (READ: LIST: 2019 Senate hopefuls facing cases, complaints, probes).

Some LP key officials have, however, been linked to other alleged irregularities, as claimed in the post. These include former president Aquino and former budget secretary Florencio Abad, former secretary-general of the LP and former transportation secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, and former public works secretary Rogelio Singson.

It is also worth noting that the meme only took note of corruption scandals that surfaced during the term of President Aquino, who ran under the Liberal Party. For a list of personalities who have been charged with plunder in previous administrations, check: Plunder cases in the Philippines: Was anyone punished?

Rappler has fact-checked similar claims associating the LP with multi-billion-peso scams. In 2018, the supposed statement from the UN accusing “dilawans” of using Yolanda rehabilitation funds was proven to be a “hoax."

Read the full fact-check article on Rappler.com.

Graphic contains false claim about LP ‘award’
By the University of the Philippines Journalism Department (Sunday, May 12, 2019)

The viral Facebook graphic flagged as misleading by Tsek.ph partner Rappler also contains a false claim that the Liberal Party was awarded “BEST NEW BUSINESS OF THE DECADE” by American publications Time and The New York Times.

A search of the phrase “Best New Business of the Decade” only yields other Facebook posts or comments repeating the false claim against LP.

Neither do advanced Google searches on the Time and New York Times websites yield any meaningful results.

The graphic could have reached more than 530,000 people, propelled by shares from 15 Facebook pages and groups bearing President Rodrigo Duterte’s name or expressing support for senatorial candidates Bong Go, Glenn Chong, Willie Ong, Francis Tolentino and Bato dela Rosa.

References

Ang Pagbabalik Namin Mga DDS @ Sarah Duterte & BBM para sa 2022. (2019, March 23). [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/groups/257753754919407/permalink/314599719234810

Atty Glenn Chong Supporters Group. (2019, March 23). [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/groups/267012554082717/permalink/402619920521979

DDS New York. (2019, March 23). [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/DDSNewYorkOfficial/posts/1522974661168362

DDS North America. (2019, March 23). [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/DDSNorthAmericaOfficial/

dds/ tapang at malasakit. (2019, March 23). [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/groups/808857929279152/permalink/1226995830798691

Duterte Marcos supporters. (2019, March 23). [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/groups/1626097231033134/permalink/2012192282423625

Harry Roque, Bong Go, Gen. Bato, Doc. Willie, Francis Tolentino sa Senado. (2019, March 23). [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/groups/1917663581877461/permalink/2160982730878877

Prophecy Prime Minister Rodrigo Roa Duterte. (2019, March 23). [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/groups/1722216981228301/permalink/2004846276298702

Rappler. (2019, April 10). Misleading: Only LP is linked to multi-billion-peso scams during Aquino time. Retrieved from https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/226393-liberal-party-multi-billion-peso-scams-aquino-time

Real Philippine History. (2019, March 23). [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/groups/288218004888308/permalink/851740325202737

Samahang maka duterte!!. (2019, March 23). [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/groups/236011830087226/permalink/808578149497255

SAP Bong Go for senator movement in Japan. (2019, March 23). [Photograph]. Retrieved from: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1912084542437108/permalink/2146408595671367

Solid Duterte Supporters Worldwide. (2019, March 23). [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/groups/1720697144871445/permalink/2334467336827753

Solid Sarah Z Duterte 2022. (2019, March 23). [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/groups/569712340097683/permalink/701464170255832

37. Rodrigo Duterte , the ultimate crimebuster. (2019, March 23). [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/ultimatecrimebuster/posts/2291889700833425

Tulfo Brothers Worldwide. (2019, March 23). [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/groups/472571899863121/permalink/676743159445993

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