(Updated May 16, 2022; 11:47 a.m.) Multiple accounts have been sharing identical posts about two presidential candidates following the May elections.
Filipinos who noticed them shared screenshots of accounts that posted this script on Facebook and Twitter.
One of the tweets claimed that it’s a “script” from troll farms.
Based on the images, the script or message seemed to be a reproach to supporters of Vice President Leni Robredo who were expressing their disappointment over the election results.
Part of it reads:
“I voted for Leni too but mejo anlala nung mga nagpopost ng:
‘Bobo at pangit lahat ng bumoto kay BBM’,
‘Araw-araw ko kayo ija-judge habang buhay’,
‘Wala kayong karapatan magreklamo sa kahirapan nyo!’,
‘Unfriend ko lahat ng bumoto kay BBM sa FB and in real life’, etc.
Is it just me or talagang may mali? These people sound too entitled, self-righteous, and sore losers. What more if nanalo si Leni baka idegrade nyo lang lalo yung ibang tao. Maybe you guys are one of the reasons why Leni lost.”
A cursory check of Interaksyon of this quote showed that there seemed to be only one message that was copy-pasted across several accounts on Twitter and Facebook.
These posts circulated on Twitter and Facebook on May 10 and 11. During these dates, the partial and unofficial count from the Commission on Elections transparency server showed that Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is leading the presidential race.
I voted for Leni too but mejo anlala nung mga nagpopost ng:
“Bobo at pangit lahat ng bumoto kay BBM”
“Araw-araw ko kayo ijjudge habang buhay”
“Wala kayong karapatan magreklamo sa kahirapan nyo!”
“Unfriend ko lahat ng bumoto kay BBM sa FB and in real life”
etc.— Sky Jam✨ (@skiee_jam) May 10, 2022
One of the online users who shared this supposed script, a certain Benj Bolivar, received the most engagements so far.
Bolivar posted it on May 10.
His post has since garnered 27,000 reactions, 107 comments and 22,000 shares on Facebook.
In a separate post on Friday, Benj clarified that he is not a troll and that his post was only shared by other people, copied and posted them as their own.
He raised the following three points:
It could not be determined if the ones who spread Bolivar’s post are troll accounts. Some of them are newly created while others seemed to be organically owned.
These election-related copy-pasted messages making rounds online are not new.
During the filing of certificates of candidacy in October 2021, Interaksyon found some newly created accounts that leave copy-pasted comments supporting certain political candidates in the replies section of news reports.
READ: Trolls or not? New accounts pop up in news agencies’ comments section during COC filing
Meanwhile, according to the latest partial, unofficial tally, Marcos received a staggering 31.1 million votes, making him the first majority-elected president.
Robredo follows by a wide margin with 14.8 million votes.
Other presidential hopefuls Sen. Manny Pacquiao, Leody de Guzman, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso and Faisal Mangondato have already conceded to the race.
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has also implied bowing out from his bid. Lacson said on Twitter told his supporters that he will be going home.
“I’m going home. After being away too long looking after the needs of other people, it is time to serve my family for a change. Enjoying peace and quiet in these challenging times will probably be my life’s greatest reward,” he said.
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