Photo of Vico Sotto endorsing rival doctored
- FactRakers
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
A photo of reelectionist Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto holding a sign endorsing his rival, Sarah Discaya, has been altered.
The manipulated photo, featured in a video uploaded by PasigLaban on March 29, shows Sotto holding a sign that reads:
SI SARAH ANG MAYOR KO (Sarah is my mayor)
PasigLaban reposted the altered image as a standalone post that same day.
The video also included a clip of Sotto advising voters to consider newer candidates if they were unsure during the 2023 barangay elections, but it was presented without context.
The original, unedited photo was taken from Sotto’s official Facebook page, where it was posted last Oct. 5. It shows the mayor holding his certificate of candidacy for this year’s midterm elections.
The text in the manipulated image was also altered: “Certificates” was changed to “Gartificates,” and “Candidacy” to “Tan****ov.”
A forensic analysis using the online tool Forensically indicates that the image was likely manipulated. Its error level analysis (ELA) and noise analysis features detected inconsistencies in compression levels, particularly on the sign Sotto was holding.
Meanwhile, the video clip of Sotto’s voter advice was lifted from an Oct. 3, 2023 post on his official Facebook page.
In the original video, Sotto was advising voters to consider newer candidates if they were unsure during the barangay elections, but PasigLaban shared it without context.
Sa akin po, kung hindi tayo sigurado sino ba dyan ‘yung mas tapat, sino ba dyan ‘yung mas magaling, sino ba dyan ‘yung mas masipag…hindi tayo sigurado kung ano, (ako) pipiliin ko nalang, kung dalawang kandidato parang similar, hindi ako sigurado, kung ako pipiliin ko nalang ‘yung mas bago. Pipiliin ko nalang ‘yung gumagastos ng malaki (For me, if we’re not sure who among them is more honest, who’s more competent, who’s more hardworking… if we’re unsure about those things, then I’d just choose—if the two candidates seem similar and I’m not sure—I’d just go for the newer one. I’d choose the one who’s spending more).
As of April 1, PasigLaban’s video post has garnered 91 reactions, 51 comments, 21,000 plays and 41 shares. The standalone post has amassed 275 reactions, 84 comments and 25 shares.
Created on April 4, 2022, PasigLaban has been regularly posting content critical of Sotto since March 10. (PA)