FACT CHECK: Claire Castro quote on Ivana Alawi helping slain driver’s family is fake

The post circulating online was made by stitching together photos of actress Ivana Alawi with a fake quote attributed to Castro that originated from a page claiming to be satire Claim: Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro criticized actress Ivana Alawi for helping the child of a slain motorbike taxi rider. Rating: FALSE Why we fact-checked this: The post was made by a Facebook user named Ruben Bisnar Castos in the group “TEAM SARA DUTERTE” on July 20. It has gained traction with more than 2,900 reactions, 1,700 comments, and 150 shares as of writing. The post quotes Castro saying, “Wala akong problema sa pagtulong mo, pero [kaunting] respeto naman iha. Gawain yan ng pangulo, wag mo sanang pangunahan.” (I have no problem with you helping out, but show a little respect, young lady. That is the president’s job; please don’t step in and do it ahead of him.) Social media users criticized Castro’s remarks on the alleged P2 million donation by Alawi, stating that they should not discourage other public figures from offering help. Some went so far as to challenge the PCO undersecretary and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to personally visit the family of Fabio Norberte Jr., a motorbike taxi rider killed by a passenger during an attempted robbery. The facts: The quote attributed to Castro is fake. There are no reports or official statements of the Palace press officer supposedly criticizing the actress. The fake quote originated from a page that claims to be satire and included a disclaimer that it was fictional and meant for entertainment purposes. The Facebook user reposted the quote, but removed the satire disclaimer and merged the graphic with screengrabs from videos of Alawi visiting the wake and family of the slain motorbike taxi rider. Slain rider: Norberte, 46, was robbed and stabbed to death by his passenger in Caloocan on July 14. The suspect stole the victim’s motorcycle and later stole a mobile phone in Malabon City hours after the incident, where he was eventually caught. Authorities have retrieved the ice pick allegedly used in the stabbing. Following the incident, several officials extended assistance and vowed justice for the Norberte family. Videos online also showed Alawi making a visit to the victim’s family. Debunked: Rappler has previously debunked false claims involving Castro. The Palace press officer has been vocal in the administration’s campaign against misinformation online. FACT CHECK: Claire Castro not banned from Canada FACT CHECK: Malacañang, DOE debunk ‘energy lockdown’ claims FACT CHECK: Claire Castro quote dismissing scrutiny of Marcos’ confidential funds is fake FACT CHECK: Video of foreign officials ‘mocking’ PCO undersecretary Castro is fake – Lourence Angelo Marcellana/Rappler.com Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time. How does this make you feel? Loading