Suspended lawyer and former senatorial aspirant Larry Gadon did not secure a spot in the Senate in the May 9 elections, contrary to a claim made by a YouTube video.
On June 25, YouTube user Philippines Trending News falsely claimed that Gadon made it to the Senate’s “Magic 12.” The video’s headline read:
JUST IN : BAGONG ANUNSYO! PRES MARCOS Atty.GADON PASOK sa SENADO PAUPOIN CAYETANO IYAK (JUST IN: New announcement! Pres. Marcos, Atty. Gadon got in the Senate. Cayetano cried).
The video comes more than a month after the Commission on Elections proclaimed the 12 winning senators in Pasay City led by actor Robin Padilla with 26,612,434 votes, reelectionist Loren Legarda with 24,264,969 votes and media personality Raffy Tulfo at 23,396,954 votes.
Gadon, who ran under the banner of Kilusang Bagong Lipunan, ranked 20th with 9,691,607 votes. It was his third failed senatorial bid in a row after losing the 2016 and 2019 senatorial races.
In January 2022, the Supreme Court suspended Gadon for directing expletives at journalist Raissa Robles.
While the video’s headline misled readers on Gadon’s alleged senate seat, the video itself only talked about Gadon’s prospects should Ferdinand Marcos Jr. offer him a position in his incoming administration. The video said at the 2:23 mark:
Kung mapagbibigyan na makahawak ng posisyon sa gobyerno sa ilalim ng administrasyon ni president-elect [Ferdinand] Bongbong Marcos Jr., isang bagong komisyon ang inimumungkahi ni Gadon kay [Marcos Jr] na nais niya hawakan (If appointed in the new administration of president-elect Marcos Jr., Gadon is eyeing a new commission that he wants to spearhead).
According to the 1987 Constitution, no candidate who has lost in any election shall, within one year after such election, be appointed to any office in the government or any government-owned or controlled corporations or in any of their subsidiaries.
The video has totaled 133,376 views and at least 2,100 likes on YouTube since it was uploaded (JC).