FACT CHECK: No paid protesters in May 13 rally vs VP Sara, Dela Rosa – ex-DOF official

Claim: Former finance undersecretary Cielo Magno and political vlogger Lovely Granada pocketed funds that were meant to be paid out to the minors who joined the May 13 rally against Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Vice President Sara Duterte.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: A video bearing the claim was posted on Facebook on May 14 and has since garnered over 287,000 views, 16,600 reactions, 2,330 comments, and 4,800 shares.

In the video, a narrator claims several minors were recruited to join the protest with promises of being paid P1,000 each, but they ended up not being paid.

“So, saan napunta ‘yung pondo na naibigay sa inyo? … Pati maliit na halaga, binubulsa niyo. Kaya tuwang-tuwa kayo na nag-aaya sa mga rally kasi may funding tapos ibubulsa niyo lang. Bakit hindi niyo binigay, Cielo Magno, Lovely Granada? Kawawa naman ‘yung mga bata, nagrereklamo,” the narrator says.

(So, what happened to the funds given to you? It’s a small amount, but you still pocketed it. That’s why you were so happy inviting people to rallies, because there was funding, and then you just pocketed it. Why didn’t you give it, Cielo Magno, Lovely Granada? Poor kids, they are complaining.)

The video was uploaded by the Facebook page, “KUYA WARAY,” with a visible nickname, “Laurence llagas Luntaga.” It has over 110,000 followers and consistently posts pro-Duterte content.

The facts: Magno debunked the claim, saying that while she attended the May 13 protest, she was not among the organizers of the event and that no one was promised money to attend the rally.

“Lahat ng sumama sa rally natin last Wednesday ay organic. Makikita naman na ito ay mula sa iba’t ibang lehitimong organisasyon katulad ng Tindig Pilipinas, Sentro, Akbayan, Student Council Alliance of the Philippines at 1Sambayan. Marami rin kusang pumunta na hindi miyembro ng kahit anong organisasyon,” she told Rappler. 

(Everyone who joined our rally last Wednesday was organic. It can be seen that they came from various legitimate organizations such as Tindig Pilipinas, Sentro, Akbayan, the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines, and 1Sambayan. Many also went voluntarily who are not members of any organization.) 

She added that media coverage of the protest showed no minors participating in the rally.

“Ako ay hindi kasama sa mga organizers but pumunta dahil nakikiisa sa panawagan na litisin si Sara at hulihin si Bato. Kung susuriin ang mga video sa event mula sa iba’t ibang media outlet na nag-cover ng event, wala rin makikitang minor na nag-participate sa rally,” she added. 

(I was not among the organizers, but I went because I support the call to prosecute Sara and arrest Bato. If you examine the videos of the event from various media outlets that covered the event, you will not see any minors who participated in the rally.) 

May 13 protest: The false claim circulated after various progressive groups staged a protest outside the Senate compound on May 13 to call for Duterte’s conviction via an impeachment court and the arrest of Dela Rosa, who at the time was under the Senate’s protective custody after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for the former police chief under the Duterte-era drug war. (READ: Bato dela Rosa’s escape: Timeline, analyses, opinions from experts).

As of Monday, May 18, the Senate has already convened as an impeachment court for Duterte’s trial, while Dela Rosa continues to evade arrest. – Reinnard Balonzo/Rappler.com 

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