CLAIM: Facebook and Twitter pages posted a screenshot of a Facebook messenger exchange claiming that a group of lawyers supporting a presidential candidate offered cash to participants of a campaign event.
In a post on Sunday, March 13, the page called Luminous by Trixie Cruz-Angeles and Ahmed Paglinawan posted the screenshot of a private conversation between an individual and a group called “Lawyers For Leni.”
The page sought help to verify the message and spread it on the platform.
“Before we spread or comment on this, we want Rappler and/or VeraFiles to do their thing on it. We ask our followers to share this in its entirety, including our caption. Do not share the photo alone. You will regret it if you did,” the post reads.
In the screenshot, the individual or the sender supposedly asked the group for “additional” payment for the participants who joined a campaign rally in Bulacan.
The text reads: “Ma’am, follow up ko lang po yung additional payment sa mga sumama sa Bulacan rally 3,467 pax na hindi pa po nabayaran.”
In response, the recipient told the sender who was named a certain “Donna” that they needed to secure the names of the attendees first.
They also supposedly made requests on who to recruit for the next campaign rallies.
Part of it reads: “Also, remind the coordinators from Batangas and Cavite to stop bringing the Philippine flag. Pink placards and balloons lang.”
Rating
The screenshot is fake.
Facts
There is a group of lawyers called “Lawyers for Leni” who supports the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo.
Robredo’s running mate is Sen. Kiko Pangilinan.
The profile picture used on the viral screenshot is similar to the logo used by the group of lawyers.
However, it should be noted that the name on the screenshot is “Lawyers For Leni,” while the official page of the group of lawyers is named “Lawyers for Leni” with lowercase “for.”
The group had also already addressed these bribery claims on a Facebook post last March 11, Friday.
They issued the following clarifications:
- “Wala pong kilala ang lawyers for Leni na Donna, Mona, at Karlo.”
- “Hindi po ganito mag-inggles ang mga abogado sa Lawyers for Leni.”
- “At, wala pong ‘maam’ na makakausap sa Lawyers for Leni dahil hindi po babae ang may hawak ng L4L social media accounts.”
Lawyers for Leni also stressed that they do not pay any person to attend the campaign activities of Robredo and Pangilinan.
“Wala pong binabayaran ang Lawyers for Leni na kahit sino tungkol sa pagsali sa mga sorties o campaign rallies,” they said.
Lawyers for Leni also released a TikTok version of their statement online to debunk the still circulating fake screenshot.
Galingan niyo pa po. 😏🤣 pic.twitter.com/vgwuSFuNmY
— Lawyers for Leni (@lawyersforleni) March 12, 2022
The Leni-Kiko camp and its supporters were also previously accused of being bribed to attend their campaign activities in Cavite.
Robredo’s spokesperson Barry Gutierrez and the organizers immediately denied these allegations.
The attendees, meanwhile, even showed photos and videos of themselves during the rallies as proof that the claims are not true.
READ: Bituin Escalante cries foul over ‘bayaran’ claims vs Cavite campaign rally attendees
Why it matters
Prior to the post in question, the screenshot has been making rounds on Twitter, TikTok and Facebook since March 11.
Most accounts that shared the image were vocal critics of Robredo with a huge number of followers.
Nakakahiya sa kakampink at Lawyers for Leni ha.. hate na hate pala nila ang Philippine Flag… ano pang ginagawa n’yo dito sa pinas magsilayas kayo!!! pic.twitter.com/TzwIwVLnQD
— Snorlax (@Snorlax_0330) March 11, 2022
Days after Lawyers for Leni debunked this snapshot as misinformation, the Luminous Facebook page still posted it on its account.
This amplified the spread of incorrect information to its followers.
The page has over 396,000 followers as of writing.
Lawyers for Leni’s Facebook page, on the other hand, has 59,929 likers.
It should also be noted that in 2016, the Supreme Court suspended Cruz-Angeles for three years in relation to an annulment case in 2003.
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Interaksyon is part of #FactsFirstPH, a multi-sectoral initiative promoting truth in public space and demanding accountability for falsehoods. For those interested to join the initiative, email [email protected]
