Deputy Speaker Jay Khonghun of Zambales on Sunday slammed as baseless and irresponsible social media claims that a “presidential son” was harassed along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).
Khonghun said the circulating posts were long on drama but short on facts, and warned that spreading unverified allegations only fuels confusion and public anxiety.
“If nothing happened and Malacañang has already clearly denied it, we should stop spreading fake news. This kind of speculation is damaging and only causes confusion among the public,” Khonghun said.
Presidential Communications Secretary Dave Gomez told reporters in a Viber message Saturday night that no incident involving any presidential son took place.
Despite the denial, social media posts claimed that shortly after 7 p.m. Saturday, a three-vehicle motorcade blocked a vehicle allegedly carrying a presidential son along NLEX, and about 15 men in Bulacan-registered vehicles later confronted the convoy after it supposedly overtook cars occupying all three lanes.
Khonghun questioned the credibility of the claims, noting that none of the posts identified which president’s son was supposedly involved, nor provided verifiable details to support the allegations.
He described the fabrication or amplification of false incidents involving members of the First Family as “dangerous and irresponsible.”
“Making or spreading this kind of story is no joke. It undermines public trust and diverts attention from real issues that deserve serious discussion,” Khonghun said.