MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday accused tabloid Abante of publishing a “deliberately spliced and misleading” video of her speech outside the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention facility in The Hague, saying the post took her remarks out of context to generate online engagement.
In a statement, Duterte said the video, posted on Abante’s official social media platforms on July 29 with the caption, “I CAN HIRE A GUNMAN FOR P5,000,” extracted a single line from her speech while omitting the explanation that immediately followed.
She argued that isolating the statement created “a false and misleading impression” that was inconsistent with the substance, intent and context of her remarks.
Duterte urged Abante’s editorial and social media teams to uphold responsible journalism by ensuring its reports are fair, contextual and accurate, and by avoiding selective editing or sensational presentation that could mislead the public.
“The Filipino people deserve journalism that informs truthfully, reports responsibly, and presents facts in their proper context,” she said, adding that public discourse is strengthened by “integrity, fairness, and respect for the truth,” rather than sensationalism.
