By Darryl John Esguerra
MANILA – Malacañang has denied a circulating report claiming that a convoy involving a “presidential son” was harassed by another group of vehicles allegedly registered in Bulacan.
“No such incident involving any presidential son,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Dave Gomez told reporters in a message late Saturday.
An online report earlier claimed that a three-vehicle motorcade blocked the vehicle of a “presidential son” along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), and that around 15 men allegedly alighted from vehicles said to be registered in a municipality in Bulacan.
The report further alleged that a passenger from one of the Bulacan-registered vehicles stepped out carrying a firearm.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos have three sons: Joseph Simon, William Vincent, and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos.
Authorities provided no further details as of posting time.
Deputy Speaker Jay Khonghun of Zambales slammed the social media report as baseless and irresponsible.
“Kung wala namang nangyari at malinaw na itinanggi na ng Malacañang, tigilan na natin ang pagpapakalat ng fake news. Ang ganitong klaseng haka-haka ay nakakasira at nagdudulot lang ng kalituhan sa publiko (If nothing happened and Malacañang has clearly denied it, let’s stop spreading fake news. This kind of speculation is damaging and only causes confusion among the public),” he said in a statement.
He said the national conversation must be anchored on verified facts from official sources.
“Hindi biro ang gumawa o magpakalat ng ganitong istorya (It’s not a joke to fabricate or spread this kind of story). It undermines public trust and diverts attention from real issues that deserve serious discussion,” Khonghun said.
“If we allow this kind of misinformation to go unchecked, deception becomes normalized. That erodes the very foundations of informed democratic discourse,” he added. (with a report from Zaldy De Layola/PNA)
