News

Investigation before elections? DILG defends probe of LGUs, officials for alleged fund misuse

Maan Macapagal, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Oct 16 09:49 AM

MANILA - A spokesperson of the Department of the Interior and Local Government defended an ongoing investigation on at least 37 towns and cities for alleged “irregularities in their disbursement of public funds.” Read more »

Duterte vows anew to open wealth to scrutiny

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Aug 04 01:58 PM

President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday vowed anew to open his bank accounts to scrutiny, amid lingering accusations of hidden wealth against him and his family.   Read more »

'Desaparecido' cases rise with Duterte's war on drugs

Kim Muaña and Merinette Retona, VERA Files
Posted at Jun 15 03:20 AM

Nilda Sevilla, co-chair of FIND, said the over 20,000 extrajudicial killings spawned by the current administration’s war on drugs have apparently pushed aside cases of enforced disappearances from public consciousness. Read more »

OPINION: VERA Files Road Safety Fellowship

Ellen T. Tordesillas
Posted at Jun 11 03:46 PM

The third phase of the Road Safety Fellowship being conducted by VERA Files in cooperation with the World Health Organization is now open for application. Read more »

OPINION: Fact-checkers do not delete, block Facebook posts

Ellen T. Tordesillas
Posted at Apr 20 01:25 PM

For Facebook users to understand about Facebook’s 3rd party fact-checking program in the Philippines, VERA Files prepared a Q and A. I hope this helps. Read more »

Gov’t, Facebook to meet over ‘fact-checking’ row

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Apr 19 03:54 PM

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Thursday said he and several other government officials would meet with Facebook representatives to discuss the social network’s choice of fact-checkers. Read more »

Palasyo, umalma sa piniling fact-checkers ng Facebook

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Apr 17 03:19 AM

Pinaboran ng ilan ang partnership ng Facebook at 2 media groups para sa fact-checking kontra "fake news." Read more »

PCOO to protest Facebook team-up with Rappler, Vera Files

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Apr 16 03:11 PM

The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) will oppose Facebook's move to tap media organizations Rappler and Vera Files to fact-check websites sharing erroneous content, an official said Monday. Read more »

Leave Facebook? Roque says FB fact-checkers Rappler, Vera Files also partisan

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Apr 16 12:23 PM

PARTISAN FACT-CHECKERS? A Palace spokesman on Monday raised the possibility of President Rodrigo Duterte's supporters on Facebook shifting to another site after pro-Duterte sites were banned on the social media giant. Read more »

Ilang Pinoy website, naka-block sa Facebook; mamamahayag tinawag itong 'sensura'

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Apr 15 07:40 PM

Naka-block na sa Facebook ang ilang Pinoy website na umano'y nagkakalat ng maling impormasyon. Tinawag naman itong "censorship" o sensura ng isang tech journalist. Read more »

Facebook blocks some websites with Filipino content violating its guidelines

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Apr 18 06:56 PM

MANILA — (UPDATED) Facebook has blocked some websites that contain Filipino content but allegedly share false information. Read more »

Duterte denies Cambridge Analytica ties

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Apr 14 12:40 AM

Data-analytics firm Cambridge Analytica is at the center of a wide-ranging controversy for alleged inappropriate use of Facebook data. Read more »

OPINION: The most deafening 6-minute silence

Ellen T. Tordesillas
Posted at Mar 28 02:29 AM

I imagine many of us have watched and have been moved by the powerful speech by Emma Gonzalez, a survivor of the Feb. 14  Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, during the “March for our Lives” gun control protest rally in Washington D.C. last March 24. Read more »

Training how to teach fact-checking

Ellen T. Tordesillas
Posted at Mar 20 07:13 PM

How do we then counter the public’s fascination for what is novel and emotion-appealing but false data? Read more »

OPINION: Enjoy the Sara-Alvarez feud but don’t get diverted from the real issue

Ellen T. Tordesillas
Updated as of Oct 11 08:09 PM

As we watch and enjoy the ongoing war between House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, let us make sure that we are clear that this is a “battle of the snakes” (with apologies to the snake) as one Facebooker said. Read more »

OPINION: Ombudsman: Probe vs Duterte can be refiled

Ellen T. Tordesillas
Posted at Feb 16 03:16 PM

The Ombudsman’s confirmation that the fact-finding or field investigation on the case was closed and terminated on 29 November 2017 carried the explanation “after the Anti-Money Laundering Council declined to provide a report or confirmation on the requested vital data."   Read more »

OPINION: The 'garbage' continues to stink

Ellen Tordesillas
Posted at Feb 05 12:05 AM

The disrespect to the Supreme Court and the Office of the Ombudsman is even more palpable because what triggered the action of the President is an investigation being conducted by the Ombudsman regarding his ill-gotten wealth. The unconstitutional act is tainted by a personal conflict of interest. The President is acting not to protect a beleaguered citizen from abuse of power by the Ombudsman; he is acting to protect himself. This act cannot pass any standard of fairness. Read more »

Veteran journalist says Duterte is top purveyor of 'fake news'; Andanar reacts

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jan 31 12:01 AM

Veteran journalist Ellen Tordesillas said "fake news" in the country is primarily spread by no less that President Rodrigo Duterte. Read more »

Palace says report on Duterte and Sara’s undisclosed deposits ‘hearsay’

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Jan 22 01:22 PM

Malacañang on Monday dismissed as “hearsay” and “kwentong kutsero” a report by news organization VERA Files which said that President Rodrigo Duterte and his son, Davao City Vice Mayor Sara Duterte failed to disclose as much as P100 million in joint deposits and investments.  Read more »

Dedicated, overworked personnel sustain gov’t hospital’s program for abused women and children

Arianne Christian Tapao, VERA Files
Posted at Dec 17 08:37 PM

Across from the Philippine General Hospital (PGH)’s emergency room, a large, green building leads to two special units designed to protect women and children. Read more »