FACT CHECK: Spliced video misrepresents Chel Diokno statement on VP Sara’s financial records

A spliced video misrepresenting the statement of Representative Chel Diokno regarding Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial has circulated on social media, spreading disinformation. The video makes it appear as if Diokno said he was merely "taking a shot in the dark – we might get something out of this" when referring to the prosecution’s request for a subpoena for the Vice President’s financial records. However, Rappler’s fact-check revealed that the video intentionally edited and omitted parts of Diokno’s original statement. Diokno was actually explaining that the subpoena request differed from a "fishing expedition" and that sufficient grounds were found during the House Committee on Justice’s investigation. The full context of his statement can be found in the Senate’s records and livestream. Diokno himself called out the spliced video on social media, stating, "We are not merely taking a chance. We have probable cause or sufficient grounds that can be found in the records of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) regarding the billions of pesos that passed through the accounts of the Vice President and her spouse." The video was also reposted on the Facebook page of Senator-Judge Alan Peter Cayetano. Prosecution spokespersons for the impeachment trial called the circulation of the video "alarming" as it could create the impression that members of the impeachment court, who are supposed to be impartial, have prejudged the case. A "fishing expedition" is defined as the act of overly investigating or demanding information, where a party demands too much information based on hunches and accusations. The prosecution has repeatedly denied the claim that their subpoena requests amount to a fishing expedition. The Senate eventually granted the subpoena requests, with some reservations, stating that the documents requested by the prosecution were "reasonably described, readily identifiable, and prima facie relevant" to the issue. Rappler has fact-checked other false claims related to Duterte’s impeachment trial in the past. Source: Rappler Philippines