FACT-CHECK: Bong Go remains a senator

CLAIM: Sen. Bong Go has been ousted from the Senate.

RATING: FALSE

A YouTube video uploaded by the channel “TRENDING PINAS NEWS” falsely claimed that Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go had been ousted from the Senate due to complaints against him. 

Flagged content: The Nov. 3 video claimed that Go cried in his farewell address after being ousted from office.

• The caption reads, “KAKAPASOK LANG! BONG GO YARI NAIYAK NA NAGPAALAM,SINIBAK NA SA PWESTO (sic).” (“Breaking news, Bong Go bids emotional farewell, ousted from his post.”)
• The overlay texts on the thumbnail read, “KAKAPASOK LANG! BONG GO NAGPAALAM NA NAIYAK SA BIGLAANG PAGTANGGAL SA KANYA SA PWESTO (sic).” (“Just in! Bong Go shed tears while saying goodbye after his sudden ouster from office.”)

Our debunk: No statements or documents from the Senate confirm Go’s removal from public office.

• According to a press release shared by the Senate website, Go stepped down as the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography. In the same press release, the Senate said Go was relegated to vice chairperson of the committee.
• As of the time of writing, Go is still a member of the Senate. As chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, Go took part in the opening ceremony of the Mikey Belmonte Cup held at the MRB Gym in Quezon City. On Nov. 11, Go talked about the proposed Classroom Building Acceleration Program Act during a Senate session.
• This is an example of news-cycle disinformation, an annoying subset of disinformation that mimics real-time news “updates” on an active story — claiming arrests, releases, case dismissals, or even deaths that haven’t happened.

Rewind: Go has been linked to the controversial flood control projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

• • Go is related to the owner of CLTG Builders, a top contractor of government projects in Davao City. 

• On Oct. 21, former senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV filed a plunder complaint against Go, his father, and brother. 
• Go held a press briefing to address the criminal complaints filed against him by Trillanes before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Why we fact-checked this: The YouTube video has garnered 21, 381 views, 244 comments, and 1,500 likes as of writing. 

Spot the fake: Follow channels that are sources of reliable information.

• Find formal press releases on official government websites to confirm raw or suspect information. Francis Mediavillo

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