Dennis Gasgonia

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

MANILA The House prosecution team on Saturday warned Filipinos against disinformation surrounding the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.This after the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) disclosed that foreign &quot;influence operations&quot; are increasingly riding on local controversies, including the impeachment case and flood-control issues.Prosecution team adviser and spokesperson Robert Ace Barbers urged the public to scrutinize information circulating online and, whenever possible, go directly to the evidence being presented before the Senate impeachment court.“Every day may fake news,” Barbers said in a statement while describing the steady stream of online narratives targeting members of Congress who endorsed the impeachment. <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/24/alleged-marcos-duterte-talks-is-fake-news-poa-1228">Alleged talks between Marcos, Duterte is ‘fake news’ — Poa</a></div>The former congressman said that when critics cannot answer issues on substance, they resort to personally attacking those raising the questions.His warning came after retired Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, AFP spokesperson on the West Philippine Sea, said malign information operations have increasingly shifted from traditional pro-Davao and pro-China narratives to domestic controversies.“Ngayon, mas mahirap ma-detect sapagkat impeachment sumasabay dyan, Sanjia sumasabay dyan, and other local issues; flood control sumasabay dyan,” Trinidad said.Trinidad said the pattern involves taking advantage of local issues and twisting narratives to favor China while attacking government officials who stand up on said issues.He said such influence operations seek to shape public perception without the use of conventional military force.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/26/vp-sara-prove-impeachment-case-with-evidence-not-insults-1045">Sara Duterte: Prove impeachment case ‘with evidence, not insults’ </a> </div>AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Padilla, for his part, said the military is monitoring developments in the information space and coordinating with other government agencies to determine the facts behind issues being circulated online. “Our greatest weapon is the truth,” Padilla said, explaining that AFP intelligence and cyber units work together to establish facts and provide the public with information anchored on empirical data.The two military officials added the West Philippine Sea issue should unite Filipinos across political, regional and religious lines as foreign malign influence operations expand from maritime disputes into domestic issues and social-media feeds.For Barbers, the revelation makes it even more important for Filipinos to personally follow the impeachment proceedings and distinguish evidence from online narratives. “Ang panawagan namin palagi sa ating mga kababayan, Kung maaari, subaybayan ninyo. Pakinggan ninyo at dinggin ninyo yung ebidensyang inilalatag. Nang sa ganun, ay maiwasan natin yung maniwala tayo sa fake news,” he said.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/26/what-senator-judges-lawyers-can-and-cannot-do-in-an-impeachment-court-1250">What senator-judges, lawyers can and cannot do in an impeachment court</a></div>Barbers said the prosecution’s message is not to dismiss criticism or opposing views, but to ensure that the public has access to the facts and evidence.“Ebidensya ang dapat maging pakinggan,” he said, stressing that the impeachment should not be reduced to a contest between political personalities.“At the end of the day, ang mahalaga ho dito ay ang ating konstitusyon, ang ating saligang batas. Meron pong tinatawag na accountability mekanismo,” he said. <div>  </div>

The House prosecution team on Saturday warned Filipinos against disinformation surrounding the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

The House prosecution team on Saturday warned Filipinos against disinformation surrounding the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Prosecution warns vs fake news, foreign influence in Sara Duterte impeachment trial

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Prosecution warns vs fake news, foreign influence in Sara Duterte impeachment trial

Dennis Gasgonia,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 29, 2026 07:54 PM PHT

Read More:

Impeachment case

Malign infleunce operations

AFP

Robert Ace Barbers

Sara Duterte

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