Claim: Robin Padilla embarrasses Senator Drilon for his “trivial” legislative accomplishments
Rating: MISLEADING
The Facts: A TikTok video resurfaced an SMNI interview of Robin Padilla with Pastor
Apollo Quiboloy dated April 5, 2022, in which then-Senatorial bet disparaged incumbent Senate minority leader Senator Franklin Drilon. The in-text caption reads “FRANKLIN DRILON BARADO KAY IDOL ROBIN PADILLA MASYADO NYANG MINAMALIIT KAKAYAHAN NI
ROBIN.”
In the video, Padilla targets Drilon’s numerous but insignificant and “trivial” legislations, such as changing street names, converting a college to a university, and other semantic changes, insinuating the inadequacy of the Senate minority leader despite his many years in Congress.
Padilla would continue to cite the Rice Tariffication Law or Republic Act No. 11203, passed into law in March 2019, as another enactment that has not done what it promised for local farmers to further prove his point.
The TikTok video, reposted on Facebook, has garnered 2.9 million views and 9,700 comments, as of May 25, 12:00 midnight. (https://www.facebook.com/mangpaul04/videos/383617470448537)
Padilla’s claims are misleading and trivial.
Padilla failed to take into account various landmark laws that Senator Drilon has authored and/or sponsored, among which include: Graphic Health Warning Act, Sin Tax Reform Law, Expanded Senior Citizens Act, Overseas Absentee Voting Act, Amendments to the Sandiganbayan Law, Amendments to the Revised Penal Code, the Revised Corporation Code, and several others. (https://legacy.senate.gov.ph/senators/sen_bio/drilon_bio.asp)
In the 18th Congress, he committed to addressing political dynasties, waste importation, and the political party system, and sought amendments to the Retail Trade Liberalization Act, the Public Services Act, and the Foreign Investments Act. (https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/…/18th-congress-eyes…)
Drilon is the only senator elected as Senate President four times and is the longest-serving Senate President post-Edsa. (https://legacy.senate.gov.ph/…/sen_bio/drilon_resume.asp https://www.tinigngplaridel.net/…/profile-franklin-m…/)
Drilon has been appointed to several Cabinet posts under two administrations, that of Corazon Aquino and Fidel V. Ramos, as Executive Secretary, Secretary of Justice, and Secretary of Labor and Employment. His lengthy and influential career has earned him the nickname of “Big Man of the Senate.”
Why we fact-checked this: The deliberate propagation of false information, especially in the context of electoral politics that disparages another political figure to bolster their own or their affiliates, is a form of misleading propaganda that can influence public perception and action.
This is particularly harmful coming from a widely recognizable figure like a TV or movie personality, who has a dedicated league of fans who would echo their sentiments
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