A YouTube channel has falsely reported former Sen. Tito Sotto falling into a coma following an ambush allegedly masterminded by Dapitan City Mayor Seth Frederick "Bullet" Jalosjos.
Ph News TV uploaded several videos on the alleged ambush, the first of which appeared on June 4 titled:
TITO SOTTO INAMBUSH UPDATE 💔|TITO SOTTO AGAW-BUHAY|May BA-LA NAKITA malapit sa puso 😱 (TITO SOTTO AMBUSHED UPDATE 💔|TITO SOTTO IN CRITICAL CONDITION|A BULLET WAS SEEN near his heart 😱)
Another video uploaded that same day claimed there was CCTV footage of the ambush, saying:
Hawak na ngayon ng mga awtoridad ang video na kuha ng isang CCTV footage ng isang bahay malapit mangyari ang insidenteng pag-ambush sa sasakyan na sinasakyan ni Tito Sotto. Makikita rito sa video kung kailan napadaan ang kotse ni Tito Sotto galing sa isang importanteng interview kung saan napanuod natin ang madamdaming interview ni Tito Sotto. Makikitang may biglang dumikit na itim na sasakyan sa sasakyan ni Tito Sotto at bigla itong inulanan ng bala (The authorities now have in their possession the video footage captured by CCTV of a house near the imminent ambush incident on the vehicle ridden by Tito Sotto. In the video, we can see the moment when Tito Sotto's car passed by after an important interview where we witnessed Tito Sotto's emotional interview. It can be observed that a black car suddenly approached Tito Sotto's vehicle and it was immediately showered with bullets)
However, no actual CCTV footage was presented in the video. In its place was a random photo of an ambushed SUV which was first used in RMN’s news report on Oct. 22, 2018 with the headline “Factory executive, patay sa pananambang (Factory executive, died in an ambush incident)”.
Meanwhile, two consecutive videos uploaded on June 5 claimed Jalosjos shot Sotto in his chest, resulting in the Dapitan mayor getting arrested and the senator being put in critical condition.
The first video uploaded on June 5 claimed at the 0:14 mark:
Kitang kita sa CCTV footage kung papaano inulaanan ng bala ang sasakyan ni Tito Sotto, bagay na pinaghihinalaan agad ng netizens na walang ibang gumawa nito kay Tito Sotto kundi ang bagong may-ari ng TAPE Inc. na si Bullet Jalosjos (It is clearly seen in the CCTV footage how bullets were showered upon Tito Sotto's vehicle, which immediately raised suspicions among netizens that no one else could be responsible for this act against Tito Sotto but the new owner of TAPE Inc., Bullet Jalosjos).
This video also misused the photo of a bullet-riddled car of former Pangasinan governor and congressman Amado Espino Jr. who was ambushed on Sept. 11, 2019 to stage an actual ambush on the senator.
These videos were uploaded amid the controversy between the hosts of the longest running noontime show “Eat Bulaga” and their producer, Television and Production Exponents Philippines (TAPE Inc.), where Jalosjos serves as chief financial officer.
Jalosjos’ father, patriarch and former Zamboanga del Norte representative Romeo Jalosjos Sr., is TAPE founder and chairman. His half-brother and former House member, Romeo “Jon” Jalosjos Jr., is president and chief executive officer.
Sotto and the other mainstay hosts–his brother Vic and their long-time colleague Joey De Leon– bade farewell from the noontime program on May 31 due to the ongoing conflict. On top of disputes on the future direction of the show, Sotto later claimed the hosts decided to leave TAPE Inc. after the new management initially prevented them from airing live that day.
Following their resignation, the co-hosts and staff also left the show on June 1 through a resignation letter posted on Eat Bulaga co-host and Sotto’s sister-in-law Pauleen Luna-Sotto’s Instagram story. The former senator also confirmed on June 7 that their new noontime show on TV5 under Manny V. Pangilinan’s MediaQuest Holdings, Inc. will air in the first week of July or earlier.
The four videos have generated between 20,000 and more than 90,000 views. The YouTube channel has more than 118,000 subscribers. (JIG)