TACLOBAN CITY — Matag-ob Mayor Bernandino “Bernie” Tacoy has denied a viral Facebook post alleging that his administration ordered the arrest of a senior citizen selling corn along a roadside, calling the report misleading and an attempt to discredit his administration.
Tacoy said the allegations circulating online were false and should be dismissed, adding that he would continue performing his duties despite what he described as efforts by political opponents to undermine his administration.
“Our political opponents may try every means to undermine and persecute us, but we will not be deterred from fulfilling our duties. This is the price that we have to pay for exposing widespread corruption and irregularities in our district,” Tacoy said.
The Facebook post claimed that 71-year-old Paulito Bayong was arrested for selling corn in an unauthorized area in Matag-ob.
It also quoted Tacoy as saying that existing ordinances and regulations on the use of roadsides and public spaces must be enforced.
However, the authenticity of the post has been questioned, particularly the photograph used to identify the alleged victim.
Available information showed that the photograph had reportedly been taken from a legitimate news report published in 2022 and did not depict a senior citizen from Matag-ob. The man in the photograph was reportedly from Pangasinan.
Tacoy urged the public to dismiss the allegations, while the incident highlights the importance of verifying the source and accuracy of social media posts and photographs before sharing them.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
