Fact check: Marcos video taken out of context to claim 2028 elections will be scrapped

President Bongbong Marcos at the Kapihan with the Media in Singapore on Oct. 11, 2026.

RTVM / Screenshot

MANILA, Philippines — An edited video of President Bongbong Marcos circulating on social media falsely claims he plans to change the Constitution to prevent the 2028 elections.

Facebook and TikTok posts shared edited footage of President Bongbong Marcos with text overlays falsely claiming he plans to prevent the 2028 elections.

Screenshot taken Oct. 13, 2026, 12 p.m

Two Facebook reels posted on October 12 used spliced footage of Marcos with text overlays claiming he intended to stop the upcoming presidential elections.

The overlays read, “BBM babaguhin ang Constitution para walang election sa 2028” and “No election in 2028 is the main goal."

A similar claim appeared in a TikTok post on the same date, using the same spliced footage with similar text overlays.

The TikTok post’s caption read:

BBM NADULAS ANG BIBIG. WALANG PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION SA 2028 AT BABAGOHIN ANG CONSTITUTION. #news #balita #breakingnews

Rating: This is false.

Facts

The circulating videos used footage from Marcos’ October 11 clarification of his “buwaon” remark. 

In the full exchange, Marcos said his reaction referred to a report about changing the Constitution in relation to the elections, not an announcement that he planned to prevent the 2028 presidential elections.

While in Singapore, Marcos said his “buwaon” statement to Palace Press Officer Claire Castro was not meant to be an official press release and was not specifically directed at Vice President Sara Duterte.

"Ba’t mo sinabi sa kanila ‘yun? That was only supposed to be between the two of us. That was – my reaction was to changing the Constitution to the elections,” he said.

On September 28, Castro relayed Marcos’ reaction to Duterte’s allegations that the administration was seeking to bring her down. Duterte made the statement while denying claims by Police Corporal Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. that he delivered more than P2 billion in cash to the vice president.

In a September 26 Facebook statement, Duterte called this "another media stunt" and an "attempt to breathe life into a faltering impeachment case."

“The desperation of the administration to bring me down, push for Charter Change, prevent the 2028 elections, and cling to power is becoming increasingly diabolical,” she said.

In response, Malacañang called Duterte’s allegations "nonsense" and “fake news.”

"Ito po mismo ay mensahe ng Pangulo patungkol sa komento na iyan ng Bise Presidente, ang sabi po niya, 'Iyan po ay non-sense, fake news, mahilig magsinungaling, mga buwaon,'" Castro said.

Why we fact-checked this

Multiple posts carrying similar claims have gained traction on social media as the 2028 elections draw near and the impeachment trial against the vice president is ongoing. 

As of October 13, the Facebook reels have gained at least 58,000 views, 800 reactions, 300 comments and 300 shares each. Meanwhile, the TikTok video has obtained more than 36,000 views, 600 likes, and 150 comments. — with reports from Martin Ramos