FACT CHECK: Leni, Kiko Proclamation Rally Attendees Did Not Reach 300,000

By Edward Era Barbacena

The proclamation rally of presidential bet Vice President Leni Robredo in Naga City on Feb. 8 was not attended by 300,000 to 600,000 people, contrary to online posts claiming that it was the “biggest" campaign rally in the Philippines.

Claim: An infographic shared on various social media accounts claimed that the proclamation rally of presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo and her slate was attended by 200,000 to 600,000 people.

Rating: False

Facts:

The estimated number of attendees during the proclamation rally of Robredo in Naga City on Tuesday, Feb. 8, did not reach 300,000 to 600,000, contrary to online posts claiming that it was the “biggest campaign rally in the history of Philippine politics.”

Information from the Naga City Events Protocol and Public Information Office showed that crowd attendance during the event in Plaza Quezon was between 15,000 and 20,000 people.

The Philippine National Police (PNP), meanwhile, said it was between 7,000 and 18,000.

The false infographic used drone shots of the proclamation rally and claimed that the information on crowd estimates came from PNP R9 and the Associated Press (AP).

R9, or Region 9, covers Zamboanga peninsula in Mindanao. Naga City is under the jurisdiction of Police Regional Office 5.

AP also said it neither took nor released the photo. AP Manila correspondent Jim Gomez added that they “did not make or publish any crowd estimates” of the proclamation rally in its stories.

Robredo, her running mate Sen. Francis Pangilinan and their senatorial slate spent the first two days of the official campaign period in the Vice President’s bailiwick.

No one from the their campaign team has claimed that the proclamation rally in Naga City was biggest in Philippine history.

There are also restrictions in holding rallies and campaigning for the May elections in general due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

PNP Regional Office 5 director Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo said thousands joined the motorcade and sorties held across Bicol region, including at least 15,000 in Albay, 8,000 in Camarines Norte, 12,000 in Camarines Sur and 30,000 in Sorsogon.

Prior to the proclamation rally in Naga City, Robredo and her slate held a motorcade in Camarines Sur, beginning in Lupi town and with campaign stops in Libmanan, Tigaon and Iriga City.

The following day, they had two sorties in Camarines Norte (Daet and Labo), two in Sorsogon (Gubat and Sorsogon City) and four in Albay (Legaspi City, Tabaco, Libon and Guinobatan).

Why it matters:

Crowd estimates are being used by supporters to drumbeat the campaigns of their respective candidates. One post that shared the false infographic about crowd estimates during Robredo’s campaign rally has generated over 4,000 reactions and has been shared more than 1,400 times as of writing.

OneNews.PH is part of #FactsFirstPH, which brings together various sectors that are committed to promoting truth in the public space, and exacting accountability on those who harm it with lies. For those interested to join the initiative, email info@factsfirst.ph.