Marcos got a lapel pin, not drugs – PCO

THE Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Saturday lamented the spread of false information about President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. through a blurred video of him allegedly receiving a sachet of drugs. PCO's fact-checker "Maging Mapanuri" posted a video on Facebook to refute online claims that Marcos received prohibited drugs from a man who took a selfie with him in a recent public event. "Some individuals use this type of content to spread a false narrative," the PCO said in Filipino. "When a video or photo is shared out of context, it becomes easy for some to mislead the public into believing misinformation. In the comment section, netizens' speculations and opinions can be noticed immediately," it added. The PCO released a clearer copy of the video to show that before taking a selfie and shaking hands with the President, the man gave him a "lapel pin with the symbol of their political party." The President accepted the pin. The PCO also shared a screenshot of the man, Ferdinand Arthur Tupaz, owner of El Oro Medallic Engraver Corp., which produces medals, lapel pins and commemorative coins. Based on Tupaz's Facebook post on July 1, 2022, El Oro Medallic Engraver Corp. also designed and manufactured the official commemorative medallion of Marcos during his inauguration as the 17th Philippine president on June 30 that year. "Even if the footage is clear, when the proper context is removed, it can easily be used to create false stories. It is a simple act that is given a different interpretation due to the lack of a full story," the PCO said. "Blurring the truth, cutting clips or giving information out of context are effective ways to mislead the public," it added. The PCO reminded the public to make a habit of doing research to know the truth and fight fake news. Before the circulation of the latest video, a deepfake video of Marcos allegedly using illegal drugs was also distributed on social media.