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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Palace: We know where the smears vs PBBM are coming from

Palace: We know where the smears vs PBBM are coming from

Published Apr 10, 2026 02:36 pm
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro (Betheena Unite)
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro (Betheena Unite)
Without revealing details, Malacañang said it knows where the smear campaign against President Marcos is coming from.
"Kung mayroong naninira, alam naman natin kung saang parte ito nanggagaling (If there are smears, we already know where these are coming from)," Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said on Friday, April 10.
Castro made the statement, following the "sudden and coordinated surge" in disinformation against the President, particularly concerning his well-being.
Speculations about Marcos' health continued since the weekend, with people on social media claiming that the photos and videos of Marcos posted on Malacañang’s official pages were old.
Castro questioned whether the widespread disinformation is deliberate, citing that almost all of it is directed against the President and his administration, involving his health and claims that the government is doing nothing regarding the crisis in the Middle East.
"'Yan lahat ay kasinungalingan (All of that are lies)," she said.
The Palace official appealed to mainstream media and "discerning" social media users to debunk the disinformation.
"Alam naman ng mainstream media ang katotohonan, so tayo yung mga matitino na taga mainstream media, yung mga matitino na nasa social media, kayo na po ang magpatunay kung ang nakikita nila na ang pinupuntahan ng Pangulo na event ay AI lamang o totoo (The mainstream media already knows the truth, so to those of us in mainstream media who remain responsible, and to those in social media who are discerning, we ask you to help verify whether the events the President is attending are merely AI-generated or real)," Castro said in a Palace briefing.
She added that "the President is simply fulfilling his obligations to the people and to the nation."

Platform for fake news complaints

The Palace mouthpiece disclosed that the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), Malacañang's communication arm, is mulling the creation of a website or platform where the public can report fake news and content online.
"At inaanyayahan na rin po namin—gagawa po ang PCO ng isang website o isang platform kung saan n'yo po isusumbong lahat ng fake news na nagkakalat (We invite you because the PCO is working on a website or platform where you can report fake news that are spreading online)," Castro said.
"At 'yan po ay hindi namin tutulugan at lahat po 'yan ay dapat sampahan ng kaso. Inuulit po natin, fake news (And we will not let that go unchecked, and all those responsible will be charged. We reiterate: it is fake news)," Castro added.
She further said that actions are being taken, citing PCO Secretary Dave Gomez's move to provide information to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for a broader investigation into those behind this fake news.
On Tuesday, April 7, Gomez filed charges against those behind the spread of false energy lockdown advisories online.
On Thursday, April 9, the PCO chief said they are tracking and identifying the sources of the false information being spread across social media platforms, after detecting "a sudden and coordinated surge in disinformation across social media."

Related Tags

President Marcos fake news PCO Claire Castro
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