FALSE: Media did not report on plunder complaint vs Isko Moreno

At a glance

• Claim: The media did not report on the P70-million plunder complaint filed against Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and other city officials of Manila.
• Rating: FALSE
• The facts: At least four media outlets reported on this issue.
• Why we fact-checked this: The Facebook video has gained over 2,500 likes, 1,400 comments, and 144,000 views, as of writing.

Complete details

Facebook page “Trending Viral TH2” live streamed a video on August 15, 2021, falsely claiming that the media did not report on the plunder complaint against Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and several other local executives of Manila in 2014.

The video is titled, “HALA KA ISK0 MORENO KlNASUHAN NG 70MILLION PLUNDER ETO ANG AYAW IPALABAS SA BAYARANG MEDIA (P70-million plunder complaint filed against Isko Moreno. This is what paid media agencies don’t publish).” The video reposted content from pro-Duterte administration vlogger Banat By.

The post has over 2,500 likes, 1,400 comments, and 144,000 views on Facebook, as of writing. It was submitted through the “Fact-checking in the Philippines” Facebook group.

This claim is false.

Five barangay chairpersons filed a plunder complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman against Moreno and several other local executives in Manila for allegedly pocketing over P77 million in real property taxes in October and December 2014. At least four news outlets reported on this in 2014.

On September 9, 2014, Philstar.com published an article with the headline, “Isko Moreno faces plunder raps.” Banat By even cited this article in the video.

ABS-CBN News also published a report on September 12, 2014, which quoted Moreno as saying that the complaint was “politically motivated.”

This was also mentioned in a September 10, 2014, GMA News Online report, as well as in a Manilastandard.net report published on the same day.

However, as of writing, there has been no official report or publicly available update from the Office of the Ombudsman regarding the complaint. – Juanch Belisano/Rappler.com

Juanch Belisano is a Rappler intern. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s internship program here.

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