Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 8) – The country’s top cop has filed a complaint against an individual who allegedly used his name and photo in a vlog circulating on social media, falsely claiming that he and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff supposedly withdrew their support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
During the PNP flag raising ceremony on Monday morning, Acorda said: “It hurts me that there are people na gusto lang maging sikat yung kanilang vlog ay gagawa ng mga disinformation [who will sow disinformation just to make their vlogs go viral],”
“No less than my face, the face of the Chief of Staff, posted and viral saying the AFP and the PNP withdrawing support or asking for the resignation of the president is unforgivable,” he added.
Acorda asked that respect be given to uniformed personnel and urged netizens not to spread disinformation just to go viral.
Police spokesperson Jean Fajardo earlier said the PNP planned to ask Facebook and Youtube to delete the vlogs from their platforms.
Rumors of a destabilization plot against Marcos have been making the rounds since last year.
On Sunday, former president Rodrigo Duterte denied that he was meeting with uniformed officials to plot against Marcos.
He said that no member of the police or military would be crazy enough to do so.
READ: ‘I’m comfortable with Marcos’: Duterte denies link to destabilize administration
In November last year, Brawner said he had heard of rumors alleging destabilization efforts against the president. He clarified that there was no plot but acknowledged that some retired military personnel were disgruntled by certain issues, one such being the changes to the uniformed personnel pension system.
The vlog which made rounds on Facebook and Youtube used the faces of Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Benjamin Acorda Jr. and AFP Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner and reportedly alleged that the two had called for Marcos’ resignation.
In a Monday briefing at Camp Crame, the PNP said that Acorda filed a complaint against Johnny Lacsamana Macanas over the vlog, but it has yet to specify what the charges are. CNN Philippines is trying to get more details.
Macanas, a retired army brigadier general, runs the Youtube channel “The General’s Opinion,” where the vlog was first posted on Dec. 29, 2023.
The PNP in its briefing presented the thumbnail of the vlog in question, which had images Acorda and Brawner next to Marcos. It also included a Youtube link to the video.
A search on Google of the title of the video included in the PNP’s presentation shows the vlog is still cached on the search engine under its original title and thumbnail – both have since been changed.
As of Monday afternoon, the vlog can still be accessed under a different title and thumbnail.
CNN Philippines is seeking comment from Macanas
