The Malacañang Cameramen Association (MCA) on Friday denied allegations circulating online that photos and videos of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. during the Araw ng Kagitingan commemoration in Bataan on April 9, 2026, were 'throwback' or 'edited' materials from previous years.
In a statement, the MCA dismissed the claims as part of a “disinformation campaign,” stressing that the footage of the President’s participation in the annual Day of Valor rites was recorded and broadcast in real time.
“The footage was not 'throwback.' The coordinated effort by local newsrooms to provide raw, unedited, and live footage was the primary tool used to neutralize the disinformation attempt during the holiday,” the MCA said in a statement.
“The disinformation campaign primarily claimed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was either seriously ill or absent, and that the footage being released was "throwback" material from 2024 or 2025,“ the group said.
The allegations, which spread on social media, claimed that Marcos was either seriously ill or absent from the event and that media outlets reused or manipulated content from 2024 or 2025.
The MCA rejected these assertions, presenting what it described as “independent documentation” and multiple livestreams as proof of the President’s presence.
According to the group, several television networks deployed separate camera teams that produced independent feeds of the wreath-laying ceremony at Mount Samat in Bataan. These were distinct from the official broadcast of the Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM), providing cross-verification that the event was unfolding live.
The MCA added that many news organizations shifted to sustained livestreaming on digital platforms to counter false claims, allowing viewers to observe real-time environmental details and ongoing coverage.
The Presidential Photojournalists Association (PPA) also issued a separate statement condemning the circulating “false and misleading claims” and said its members personally witnessed and documented the President’s attendance at the ceremony.
"Allegations that these images are recycled or fabricated are inaccurate and risk undermining the credibility of professional photojournalists and the integrity of the profession as a whole," the statement read.
The group said the accusations are baseless and warned that such misinformation harms the credibility of photojournalists and the integrity of their work.
Both groups underscored that the President’s speech itself contained references to current events in 2026, including tensions in the Middle East and recent increases in global oil prices—details they said would not have appeared in older recordings.
The MCA reiterated that the use of live streaming and independent media coverage served as clear evidence against claims that the materials were recycled or artificially generated.
The organizations also warned that the spread of manipulated images and false information may carry legal consequences under existing Philippine laws, including provisions of the Revised Penal Code, the Cybercrime Prevention Act, and the Intellectual Property Code.
