A pro-Duterte blogger falsely claimed that GMA News is a “fake news purveyor”

Pro-Duterte blogger Mark Lopez (no relation to the reporter who wrote this article) falsely claimed that GMA News is a “fake news purveyor” for releasing an alleged presidential proclamation declaring Dec. 22 a special (half-working) day.

His post on X (formerly Twitter) read:

Ang Presidential Communications Office @pcogovph  binanatan si GMA News @gmanews na FAKE NEWS purveyor.

Naloko na, and malamang nyan gagawa na ng resolution si Migs Nograles at Makabayan bloc para pa suspend na ang franchise ng GMA.

Iniisa isa na ang mainstream.

The Presidential Communications Office promptly released a statement denying that such a holiday proclamation existed.

Various media outlets (Rappler, Philstar) reported that Presidential Assistant for Strategic Communications Cesar Chavez had admitted to sharing on Facebook the fake document without verifying with his Palace colleagues.

This post by no less than a well-placed Malacañang official was picked up by media outlets including GMA News and its radio station dzBB, which all deleted the announcement following the correction issued by the Palace.

Chavez apologized for the mistake.

The blogger Lopez, however, did not. Rommel F. Lopez

 

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