Senate Deputy Minority Leader Rodante Marcoleta accused Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson of using edited video clips to mislead the public about his remarks before the Commission on Appointments regarding the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG).
Marcoleta firmly denied ever suggesting that the Philippines should give up its claims.
“My position has always been clear: we will protect what is rightfully ours and firmly uphold our rights under international law. Any statement alleging that I said, suggested, or implied that we should give up the Kalayaan Island Group is completely false,” he declared.
He warned against the use of what he described as “cheapfakes” — altered content created through basic editing techniques.
“With nothing more than selective splicing, omission, or rearrangement, narratives can be distorted, reputations can be damaged, and truth itself can be compromised,” Marcoleta said.
The senator cited a February 5, 2026 social media post from Lacson’s official account, which he claimed presented a spliced compilation of his statements to make it appear as though he was advocating surrender of territory.
Marcoleta said he wrote to Lacson seeking clarification, but Lacson responded that no substantiation had been provided and that he did not exercise direct editorial control over his office’s postings. Marcoleta rejected this explanation.
“Even if he does not exercise direct editorial control, responsibility still lies with his office for ensuring that the materials they publish accurately reflect the context and intent of the proceedings. Hindi po pwedeng sabihing ‘hindi ako ang direktang gumawa.’ This is a clear attempt to shift one’s responsibility,” he argued, invoking the principle of command responsibility.
He presented original video excerpts alongside the edited compilation to show how statements were selectively cut and rearranged.
“By laying them side by side, we and the public will clearly see how particular statements were extracted from different portions of the hearing and rearranged in sequence to construct a narrative that did not exist in the actual exchange,” Marcoleta said.
He also criticized Lacson’s subsequent posts, including one on February 16, which he said mocked his plan to file an ethics complaint.
“He did not stop at posting the spliced and misleading video. He continued to publish and disseminate statements on the same issue, repeatedly insinuating that I intended to surrender a portion of the country’s territory – portraying me as a villain and himself, the hero,” Marcoleta added.
The senator claimed he was being deliberately targeted and suggested that such acts may constitute violations of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, particularly provisions penalizing online libel and video tampering.