FALSE. A viral Facebook image shows Usec. Claire Castro’s appeal to stop holding rallies during the duration of ASEAN Summit 2026.
FACT. The quote card is fabricated and does not present an authentic statement made by the palace’s spokesperson. Castro did not request for the temporary halt of holding mass demonstrations.
The image posted by News Stories framed it as a “Breaking News” and replicated a quote graphic card usually created by reputable media outlets. It was attributed to Castro saying, “Palasyo umapela na kung maaari huwag muna mag-rally habang may bisita si Marcos Jr. Hindi ipinagbabawal ang kilos-protesta pero sana huwag ito sa panahon na may bisita ang gobyerno. (sa ASEAN Summit 2026.”
However, there are no credible documents, press briefing citations or video clips that could present the exact quoted statement transcript. They are usually found posted in the Official Gazette, Presidential Communications Office press releases, or verified news coverage – but none of them existed. A graphic alone that appears to be manually edited is inadequate proof for the emotionally-triggering quote.
The visual framing also manipulated the audience as it showed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. together with fellow world leaders and a seemingly-pissed Castro with a microphone. It also aims to spark political tension, which social media users were quick to respond with. The post now has 14,000 likes, 2,200 comments and 159 shares but it only encourages outrage and it does not intend to inform the public.
In the Philippines, the right to protest is fundamentally protected by Article III, Section 4 of the 1987 Constitution, which mandates freedom of assembly. To balance this right with public order, the Public Assembly Act of 1985 establishes a “permit-based” system. Under this law, local authorities generally operate on a presumption of approval, meaning a permit should be granted unless there is evidence that the gathering poses an immediate threat to public safety.
