FACT-CHECK: ‘Liwasang Bayan’ not filled with massive crowd of Duterte supporters

CLAIM:  A Facebook reel claims that “Liwasang Bayan” was filled with a massive crowd of pro-Duterte supporters during the “Trillion Peso March.” 

RATING: FALSE

A Facebook reel falsely claimed that tens of thousands of Duterte supporters flocked to the “Liwasang Bayan” on Sept. 21, 2025, the same time as the “Trillion Peso March” was taking place at other locations in Metro Manila. 

Flagged content: A viral video on Facebook shows countless people out on the streets claiming that it took place at the “Liwasang Bayan.” 

• The overlay text above the video reads, “Kaganapan ngayon sa Liwasang Bayan Dinagsa ng Duterte Supporter.” 
• The video was posted on Sept. 21, 2025. 

Our debunk: The video used in the claim was not of a rally at “Liwasang Bayan” but of a Fun Run in Dubai. 

• The video used in the claim was actually a Fun Run held on Nov. 24, 2024, at the Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai.
• During the  Malacañang Press Briefing on Sept 22, 2025, government officials referred to a protest rally at Liwasang Bonifacio, not “Liwasang Bayan.”
• Based on a crowd-counting tool, the maximum capacity of Liwasang Bonifacio is 17,500 people.

Rewind: Various groups staged protest rallies denouncing massive corruption at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). One of the protests that day was held by the Hakbang ng Maisug, a pro-Duterte group. 

• Through lawyer Vic Rodriquez, the group announced the “Save the Philippines” protest at Liwasang Bonifacio. 

Why we’re fact-checking this: As of writing, the video has reached 2,500,000 views, 78,800 likes, 8,700 comments, and 14,000 shares.  

Spot the fake: To avoid fake breaking news, it’s best to source live updates on ongoing events from credible news sites.   Ysabel Javier

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