.MANILA, PHILIPPINES – APRIL 17: Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso take part in a joint press conference together with other presidential candidates and their running mates on April 17, 2022 in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines. Four candidates trailing behind in opinion polls in the Philippine presidential race have vowed not to back out, offering themselves as alternatives to defeat the presidential bid of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the son and namesake of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has called on second placer Vice President Leni Robredo, the only female candidate, to withdraw from the race, saying her bid for the presidency was “not effective against the Marcoses”. Marcos is enjoying a wide lead against Robredo in opinion polls three weeks before the May 9 elections. (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)

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In a press conference held by three male presidential hopefuls on Sunday (April 17), a reporter falsely claimed that Vice President Leni Robredo earlier spoke of chaos should she lose in the upcoming elections.

“Kunin ko lang ho ang reaksiyon ’nyo kasi may statement recently si Vice President Robredo na ’pag natalo siya ngayong eleksiyon ay magkakagulo (I would like to get your reactions to Vice President Robredo’s recent statement that there will be chaos if she loses in the upcoming elections),” Journal Publications’ Marlon Purificacion claimed in a Question-and-Answer with candidates Isko Moreno, Ping Lacson, and Norberto Gonzales.

The statement, however, has no basis.

Rappler’s Mara Cepeda, who has been covering Robredo’s campaign since she declared her candidacy, tweeted that the lone female candidate has never said that there will be chaos.

Moreover, there has been no recorded statement, videos, reports, or documents, proving that Robredo said what Purificacion claimed.

In response to Purificacion, Lacson clarified whether it was Robredo or her supporters who said there will be disarray if she loses. The reporter still insisted that it was Robredo herself who said the statement.

In the same press conference, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno called on Robredo to withdraw from the presidential race, saying that the vice president’s campaign strategies are not working against the Marcos camp.

Barry Gutierrez, Robredo’s spokesperson, however, rejected calls for her to withdraw. He also asked who really benefits from the Easter presser of the trailing presidential candidates?

Journal Publications, Purificacion’s employer, owns various tabloids and websites, including People’s Tonight – a tabloid recently grilled for putting Robredo in a bad light.

The publication is reportedly owned by Leyte 1st District representative Rep. Martin Romualdez, cousin of presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

In a recent study by fact-checker Tsek.ph, Vice President Leni Robredo was established as the “biggest victim” of disinformation, while Marcos benefited most from positive but misleading posts on social media.

Pola Rubio is a news writer and photojournalist covering Philippine politics and events. She regularly follows worldwide and local happenings. The views expressed are her own.

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