A YouTube video has passed off news clips about party-list Rep. France Castro’s conviction for child abuse in July as a recent one, making it appear that the court decision had been just handed down and was “karma” for the lawmaker who said she would pursue Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment.
The video uploaded by Kabayan News PH on Dec. 2 compiled clips from Frontline Pilipinas’ July 15 newscast on a Tagum court’s decision on July 3 sentencing Castro of ACT Teachers, other teachers and politicians to four to six years’ imprisonment and a P20,000 fine for child abuse under Republic Act 7610, the Special Protection Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.
Police filed child trafficking, child abuse and kidnapping charges against the group, which included former Bayan Muna President Satur Ocampo, after they rescued 14 lumad children from military-backed groups in their communities in Talaingod, Davao Del Norte on Nov. 28, 2018.
Castro and her co-accused, collectively called Talaingod 13 (formerly Talaingod 18), were arrested during their National Solidarity Mission involving the students of Salugpongan Community Learning Center, and released on bail on Dec. 1, 2018.
They were convicted on July 3 by the Tagum City Regional Trial Court Branch 2.
But Kabayan News PH made it appear the conviction had just happened, writing in its headline:
KAKAPASOK LANG NAK@RMA na! VPSara Duterte Pinaiyak si France Castro matapos Hatulan Guilty ng Korte (Just in, karma got her! VP Sara Duterte made France Castro cry after the court found her guilty)!
The video also contained the following text:
Mabilis ang k@rma! France Castro hinatulang guilty ng korte matapos manindigan na itutuloy nya ang impeachment kay VP Sara (Karma is fast! France Castro was found guilty by the court after insisting that she will pursue the impeachment of VP Sara).
A Google reverse image search revealed Frontline Pilipinas headlined its July 15 video:
Rep. Castro at ex-Rep Ocampo, hinatulang guilty para sa kasong child abuse (Rep. Castro and ex-Rep. Ocampo was found guilty of child abuse).
Kabayan News PH also misstated that it was the Supreme Court that had decided the case:
Ayon kay France Castro, dapat managot si VP Sara dahil sa hindi nito maipaliwanag kung papano ginastos ng OVP (Office of the Vice President) ang milyon-milyong pondo mula sa kanilang ahensya. Pero tila naging mabilis ang karma matapos bigla maglabas ang korte suprema ng desisyon dito kay France Castro at sa dating Bayan Muna representative na si Satur Ocampo, kung saan ay hinatulan ang dalawa na guilty dahil sa kasong child abuse. Dahil dito, naging emosyonal si Castro at sinabing lalaban sila sa naging desisyon ng korte sa Tagum City Branch 2 (According to France Castro, VP Sara should be held accountable for not being able to explain how the OVP spent millions of funds from their agency. But karma seems to have moved quickly after the Supreme Court suddenly issued a decision against France Castro and former Bayan Muna representative Satur Ocampo, in which the two were found guilty of child abuse. Due to this, Castro became emotional and said that they will fight against the decision of the court in Tagum City Branch 2).
Talaingod 13 on July 22 appealed their conviction before the Court of Appeals, not the Supreme Court.
The misleading video was posted after Castro said on Nov. 29 the Makabayan bloc, of which ACT Teachers is a member, remained firm in its decision to endorse any impeachment complaint to be filed against the vice president. She was reacting to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s message to lawmakers earlier that day not to proceed with Duterte’s impeachment.
Castro and fellow Makabayan bloc lawmakers Arlene Brosas of Gabriela Women’s Party and Raoul Manuel of Kabataan Party-list have since endorsed the second impeachment complaint filed against Duterte on Dec. 4 over the vice president’s alleged misuse of confidential funds.
The video has garnered 89,469 views, 3,000 likes and 1,918 comments as of Dec. 2. Created on April 29, 2020, Kabayan News PH has 134,000 subscribers. (TL)