Fake memes are among the most used tools of misinformation these days. Yesterday, Meme Buster debunked the false meme that was circulating online about how former Commission on Human Rights chief Loretta “Etta” Rosales sympathized with the terrorist Maute group.
Even the ABS-CBN reporter, Jobert Navallo, who took the photo of Rosales that was used in the meme spoke out against those who created the false meme. He sought to set things straight.
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“On the left is a screengrab of a meme circulating on social media attributing to former CHR Chair Etta Rosales a certain statement sympathetic to the Maute Group. Along with the statement is a photo of Rosales, which kind of looks familiar…,” Navallo wrote.
“Of course, it should look familiar! I took that photo during CHR’s 30th anniversary on May 4, 2017, long before the Maute siege in Marawi. It is thus, impossible, for Rosales to have uttered such statements. Ano siya, prophet?” he added.
He then urged people to help him find whoever used his photo and probably do “something concrete” about it.
“So here’s a challenge: help me track down the original poster of this meme. Perhaps there’s something concrete we can do about this other than posting on social media. Right, lawyer-friends?” Navallo said.
Rappler also posted the statement from Rosales, who denied sympathizing with terrorists and instead encouraged those who spread fake news to help the victims of the Marawi conflict.
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“This is malicious and fake. I just got in 27 May late pm from Mongolia and was not aware of any bombing taking place. I am no longer with CHR as Chair; I denounce terrorism and have no sympathies with them, including the Maute group; these harbingers of fake news best spend their time helping our sisters and brothers of Marawi who need humanitarian aid as evacuees who are internally displaced from their homes,” Rosales said.
She also mentioned Navallo as the person who took her photo on May 4.
“Let us use social media for real news and to communicate help for those who need help. Just found out that that photo was taken by Jobert Navallo of ABS CBN during 30th Anniversary of CHR 4 May 2017, long before the skirmishes took place in Marawi,” she added.
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