FACT CHECK: Marcos statement claiming to cancel 2028 election is taken out of context

He was actually addressing Vice President Sara Duterte’s claims that he is pushing for charter change to cancel elections

AT A GLANCE

• President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. did not officially announce plans to prevent national elections in 2028, contrary to claims circulating online.
• The claims stem from a video where Marcos was taken out of context regarding his reaction to media statements about charter change and elections.
• Marcos has expressed openness to amending the Constitution for economic reasons but has denied any intentions to cancel elections or extend his term.

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Claim: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. slipped up and revealed that he plans to amend the Constitution to prevent national elections from being held in 2028.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: Multiple videos circulating online showed Marcos in an interview with the media, supposedly berating Palace Press Officer Castro for revealing his reaction to the plans to change the Constitution.

“Bakit mo sinabi sa kanila ‘yan? That was only supposed to be the two of us. That was – my reaction was to changing the Constitution to, ano, the elections,” Marcos said in the video. 

(Why did you tell them that? That was only supposed to be the two of us. That was – my reaction was to changing the Constitution to, what, the elections.)

Facebook user Vlog Ranz overlaid text on the video that says, “Huli sa bibig; no elections sa 2028.” (Caught by one’s own words; no elections in 2028.)

Dan-agan Balita, another Facebook user, did the same and wrote: “Binuking ang sarili dahil kay payaso Castro. Huli tuloy sa planong no elections.” (He exposed himself because of that clown Castro. Now, the “no-election” plan has been exposed.)

Combined, the two posts have 3,900 reactions, 933 comments, and 1,590 shares as of writing. Multiple users also reposted the video bearing the same claim about the elections.

The facts: There is no official announcement that there would be no elections in 2028. Though genuine, the video takes Marcos out of context; he was actually addressing Castro’s response to the media, in relation to his supposed reaction toward Vice President Sara Duterte’s claims that he was pushing for charter change to cancel elections.

On September 26, Duterte denied knowing and having involvement with Rodulfo Gracioso Jr., a former member of the Philippine National Police (PNP), who claimed he had delivered millions of pesos to her. She argued that it was another media stunt orchestrated by the government.

She wrote in a statement: “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.”

In a September 28 press briefing, Castro delivered Marcos’ supposed reaction to this and said, “Ang sabi po niya, ‘yan po ay nonsense, fake news, mahilig magsinungaling – mga buwaon (liar).” (He said that it is nonsense, fake news, that they are fond of lying; they are liars.)

Eventually, at the Kapihan with The Media in Singapore on October 11, Marcos responded to a reporter who asked for a follow-up on Castro’s statement.

Based on the Presidential Communications Office’s official transcript, he said, “Claire, ba’t mo sinabi sa kanila ‘yan? That was only supposed to be…[inaudible] That was my reaction was to changing the Constitution to the elections. Kasama ‘yun eh, sa quotation na ‘yun. Iyan ang reaction ko.”

(Claire, why did you tell them that? That was only supposed to be… [inaudible] That was my reaction regarding the shift from amending the Constitution to the elections. That was part of it—part of that quote. That was my reaction.)

Charter change: The President expressed openness to changing the 1987 Constitution’s economic provisions to attract foreign investors, but did not say anything about preventing any election from happening.

Duterte insisted multiple times in her statements that Marcos has allegedly been pushing for a charter change to extend his term and stay in power. The latter has continuously denied the claims.

Other fact-checks: Rappler has previously debunked numerous false claims surrounding Marcos:

• FACT CHECK: Marcos did not say he wants another 6-year presidential term
• FACT CHECK: Marcos Jr. did not say protecting VP Duterte from her case is ‘corruption’
• FACT CHECK: Video of Claire Castro calling Marcos a ‘drug addict’ is altered
• FACT CHECK: Contrary to claim, Marcos has no plans to resign
• FACT CHECK: Congress did not vote on any new impeachment case vs Marcos 

– Eirene Manatlao/Rappler.com 

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