Pro-Duterte social media channels accused of spinning Senate events into 'siege narratives'

MANILA, Philippines — Pro-Duterte Facebook pages and YouTube channels have been accused of spinning real events and legal developments into 'siege narratives' and 'constitutional crisis' scenarios, particularly concerning the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrant for Senator Bato dela Rosa. These channels, rather than fabricating events outright, have reinterpreted actual developments to support claims of political persecution against allies of former President Rodrigo Duterte. A review of 14 Facebook posts and 12 YouTube videos from six channels, published between May 11 and May 29, revealed a consistent pattern. Content creators first utilized actual news events or statements from public officials, including remarks from senators, updates on the ICC warrant, security incidents at the Senate, and statements from Dela Rosa's legal team. The second step involved reinterpreting these events, reframing legal disputes over jurisdiction and arrest procedures as attacks on Philippine sovereignty. Security measures at the Senate were presented as evidence of the institution being under threat, and claims of legislative independence were expanded to assert that the Senate was the final bastion protecting Duterte allies from political persecution. Repetition was the final step, with similar messages appearing across multiple platforms, often within hours or days of major developments. Many videos and posts relied on clips from mainstream news coverage, political speeches, and press conferences, adding commentary that pushed a specific political interpretation rather than original reporting. For instance, the narrative that Philippine authorities could not arrest Dela Rosa without a local court issuing a warrant emerged from statements by then-Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano and was repeated by several pro-Duterte pages. These posts appeared on May 29, nine days after the Supreme Court denied Dela Rosa's request for a temporary restraining order seeking to stop government cooperation with the ICC. Following a shooting incident near the Senate complex on May 13, some Duterte allies used the moment to claim the Senate itself was under threat. Cayetano described the Senate as being "under attack" during a Facebook live session. Online creators echoed this sentiment, with YouTube channel Bisdak Pilipinas using battlefield language and focusing on tactical details like the deployment of Marines and security personnel to present the incident as a confrontation. These online narratives highlight the potential for information manipulation to shape public perception within the Philippines' political discourse.