A legislator has accused former President Rodrigo Duterte of spreading false information to boost his Senate slate’s campaign, labeling him a “father-faker.”
Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega (La Union, 1st District) expressed his support for Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin’s statement calling Duterte a “one-man fake news factory.” Bersamin made the remark after Duterte accused President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of leaning toward dictatorship.
Ortega criticized Duterte for allegedly twisting facts and then dismissing his statements as jokes when held accountable. “He seems to be a factory of fake news, and when confronted, he just says it was a joke. But in the end, he is the one who looks like a joke,” Ortega said in Filipino during a press briefing at the Batasang Pambansa.
The lawmaker predicted that misinformation and disinformation would escalate ahead of the 2025 midterm elections, particularly because most candidates endorsed by Duterte under the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) are struggling in surveys. He urged them to focus on presenting clear platforms instead of attacking Marcos and the House of Representatives.
Ortega cited a recent Pulse Asia survey showing that only two PDP candidates—incumbent Senators Bong Go and Ronald dela Rosa—have a chance of winning. The rest of the leading Senate candidates are affiliated with Marcos’ Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas.
