The rumor mill

The rumor that President Aquino suffered a “collapse” Friday night had a limited run, but the President’s chief spokesperson decided to give it a vigorous rebuttal all the same. However, Secretary Edwin Lacierda’s detailed message that same night—complete with what he said was a direct quote from the President—was undermined by a curious attempt by the Malacañang press office to call reporters to an informal, unscheduled meeting with Mr. Aquino on Saturday afternoon (an unusual invitation, made even more unusual by the lack of details), only for the office to cancel the meeting shortly after for a flimsy reason: Most Palace reporters, it was announced, could not make it to the conference with the President.

It is difficult to imagine news organizations failing to send their reporters to Malacañang when the President wants to meet with the media; indeed, despite the short notice, Inquirer Group staff (newspaper, online, radio) were on their way to the Palace when the cancellation was announced.

The issue was finally resolved when pictures of a hale and smiling President attending dinner at a mall on Saturday night surfaced.

Why report the rumor, one may ask. In the first place, because the Palace had given an official response; that was the story in the first instance. The Palace itself had denied it, and that was significant. But secondly, because the political crisis in which Mr. Aquino finds himself is vulnerable to rumors; the issue about the President’s health may have been resolved, but the question about who started the rumor, and why, remains an open one. Readers can be certain that news organizations are still pursuing this part of the story; it may take some time to find the truth of the situation, but we will keep at it.

But it does not take an advanced degree in political science or long years of experience in Philippine politics to realize that the floating of a strategic rumor like the President collapsing can have substantial political objectives. Who benefits from the image of an unhealthy commander in chief?

An apparently robust Vice President, himself facing formidable (legal) obstacles to his declared ambition to run for the presidency. The political opposition, which will benefit from any discussion of Mr. Aquino’s lame-duck status. (In this matter the opposition was greatly helped by the Palace press office. Is there anything more lame than a President who cannot even muster enough interest from the news organizations tasked to cover him?) Not least, critics of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, who realize that the President’s suddenly depleted political capital may be used one last time to facilitate passage of that crucial law.

To be sure, it can go both ways. Some of the President’s aides may think that focusing attention on a health incident may elicit public sympathy for him. We should not yet rule out the possibility that officials loyal to Mr. Aquino may have started the rumor; that, too, should be looked into.

Sometimes the mere floating is enough to wreak damage. Consider the many “facts” about the peace process that have been circulating: the supposed interference of Presidential Adviser Teresita Deles in the extrication of police Special Action Force troopers from Mamasapano (a complete fabrication); the supposed duplicity of Moro Islamic Liberation Front officials like chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal, who are actually Malaysian citizens and carry Malaysian passports (allegations the government of Malaysia officially, and vehemently, denied); the supposed inclusion of a P75-billion pork barrel fund for the Bangsamoro entity, once the BBL is passed (a complete misreading of the pertinent provisions).

The rumor or “fact” about the Bangsamoro having its own police force is another, particularly frustrating example. The language of the proposed law (and the relevant peace documents that led to it) is clear: The Bangsamoro police is part of and belongs to the PNP, and is under the administrative control and supervision of the National Police Commission. Who benefits from the canard that it is a separate unit altogether?

The price of liberty, our heroes have reminded us, is eternal vigilance. In this day and age that must also mean being on our guard against rumors and falsehoods which may help undermine the democratic project.