Father-faker? Solon hits Duterte over alleged misinformation

Former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE)

MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker has tagged former PresidentRodrigo Duterte a “father-faker” for his alleged insistence on using misinformation and disinformation to propel his Senate slate’s campaign.

In a press briefing on Monday, Deputy Majority Leader and La Union 1st District Rep. Paolo Ortega said that he is inclined to believe Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin’s statements on Duterte being a “one-man fake news factory.”

Bersamin said this after Duterte claimed that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is veering towards dictatorship.

READ: Digong accuses Marcos of ‘veering towards dictatorship’

“Parang talagang, parang literally factory ng fake news kumbaga, tapos ‘pag hinold sila accountable ng tao kakambyo naman sila na joke-joke lang daw ‘yon.  Parang nagmumukha tuloy sila ang joke eh,” Ortega told reporters at the Batasang Pambansa complex when asked about Bersamin’s statements.

(They really seem to be a factory of fake news and when you hold them accountable, they will shift gears and say that it’s a joke.  But they are the ones appearing like a joke.)

READ: Ex-Pres. Duterte shows up in Cebu for rally

Father-faker

“So ewan ko, ano bang tawag mo do’n sa ano, father-faker?  Father ng mga fake news?  Mother-faker?  Hindi ko alam kung paano niyo, paanong itatawag natin sa kanila.  Father-faker, mother-faker, o ano tawag sa mga anak nila, fakerist?  Gano’n ‘yong dating nila, parang mga super villains,” he added.

(So I don’t know how we would call them, father-faker?  Father of fake news?  Mother-faker?  I don’t know if we can call them that, father-faker, mother-faker, so what do you call their children, fakerist?  But that’s how they appear, just like super villains.)

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Ortega said he believes the spread of misinformation and disinformation would just intensify during the 2025 midterm election season, as most of the candidates backed by the former President are not faring well in the surveys.

According to the lawmaker, the candidates would try to latch on to President Marcos so that they can grab some airtime.

It would be better, Ortega claims, if the candidates endorsed by Duterte just present their platform because that is what people want and need to know.