Claim: Authorities are conducting a manhunt to arrest President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. over plunder charges.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: The YouTube channel “Boses ng Masa,” which has 85,500 subscribers, posted the video bearing the claim on February 15. As of writing, the video has garnered 39,405 views and 2,100 likes.
The video is titled: “Shocking! PBBM dinakip na ng mga awtoridad matapos hatulang guilty sa pandarambong!!”
(Shocking! PBBM arrested by authorities after being found guilty of plunder!)
The video’s narrator claims that the Supreme Court has ordered Marcos’ arrest for transferring billions of public funds into private bank accounts, both domestic and foreign. While the video’s title says the President has been arrested, its narrator claims that authorities have launched a nationwide manhunt for Marcos.
The facts: No official reports confirm the claim that the President has been found guilty of plunder. There is no such order from the Supreme Court ordering Marcos’ arrest. Furthermore, a sitting president enjoys immunity from suit. (READ: FACT CHECK: No SC arrest warrant for Marcos)
There is also no evidence that the President is allegedly in hiding. He continues to post updates about his activities and whereabouts on his social media accounts. The Presidential Communications Office has not released any statement regarding this matter.
Plunder allegations: In 2016, a P205-million plunder complaint was filed against then-senator Marcos over his alleged involvement in the Napoles pork barrel scam. The youth group that filed the complaint accused Marcos of funneling P205 million of his pork barrel to fake non-government organizations. Marcos has denied any involvement in the multi-billion-peso scam.
The video also makes reference to the Marcos family’s accumulation of ill-gotten wealth during the martial law years.
According to the 2023 accomplishment report of the Presidential Commission on Good Government, a total of P280 billion in cash and non-cash ill-gotten wealth has been recovered. (READ: P72-B ill-gotten properties considered ‘abandoned and surrendered’ to PCGG)
Repurposed audio: After mentioning Marcos’ alleged plunder case and manhunt, the video provides no evidence for its claim. Instead, it inserted an audio clip alleging corruption by the President related to the 2025 national budget and the alleged blanks in the approved bicameral conference committee report.
The audio originated from a YouTube video posted by a different channel, which frequently posts criticism against the President.
Debunked: Rappler has also previously published a fact-check debunking a false claim about Marcos posted by the same YouTube channel, “Boses ng Masa.” – Lyndee Buenagua/Rappler.com
Lyndee Buenagua is a third year student journalist and an alumna of Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship of Rappler for 2024.
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