Deputy Speaker and La Union Representative Paolo Ortega on Saturday released a statement denying that he made any statement recently about former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Ortega said there is a ‘fabricated statement’ circulating online, which is ‘falsely attributed’ to him. ‘I want to clarify that I have not issued any recent statement-official or otherwise-regarding former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte at any event,’ the lawmaker said.
Ortega did not mention the specific ‘fabricated statement’ attributed to him, but it can be checked on social media that there were certain posts alleging that he said Duterte himself ran illegal drug operations in the country.
‘In recent weeks, I have repeatedly been made the subject of fake news and fabricated posts intended to mislead and confuse the public,’ he lamented.
Ortega said his team is already taking steps to track the sources of the malicious claims about him to hold them accountable. The lawmaker urged the public to be cautious and discerning about any information circulating online.
‘Please rely only on credible news organizations and verified official social media pages for accurate information,’ he said. ‘Let us remain vigilant against the spread of falsehoods and uphold truth, accountability, and integrity in public discourse,’ Ortega added.