Stop spreading lies, Abante tells vloggers

The pro-Duterte vloggers who sobbed and publicly said sorry for sharing unsubstantiated news on social media must simply stop spreading lies.

- ELLSON QUISMORIO

Thus, said Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., the solon who managed to draw apologies from certain vloggers who called the extrajudicial killings (EJKs) in the drug war a hoax and claimed that there was a “mass resignation” of police as a result of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest.

According to Abante, committing to tell the truth is a concrete step to undoing the damage that they have caused.

“These apologies are a start, but they are not enough. If these vloggers are truly sincere, they must stop spreading lies and start presenting the truth—not their so-called ‘truth,’ but the real, honest-to-God truth,” Abante, a pastor-preacher, said in a statement Monday, March 24.

The legislator issued the statement following the latest hearing of the House tri-committee, where an online content creator admitted she had no evidence to support her claims that the EJKs under the Duterte administration were fabricated. During the said hearing, she cited her right to tell “my truth”, prompting a sharp rebuke from Abante.

"You cannot hide behind the phrase 'my truth' when talking about human rights violations. Truth is not subjective. It must be based on facts and evidence. Calling the EJKs a 'massive hoax' is not just irresponsibleit is an insult to the victims, to the grieving families, and to the institutions such as the House and the Commission on Human Rights - that investigated these crimes," Abante said.