Senator Robin Padilla Calls for Senate Probe into PCO Over Alleged Misinformation

Senator Robin Padilla has initiated a resolution urging the Senate to conduct an investigation into the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) for reportedly circulating unverified and potentially misleading information. According to Padilla, the inquiry seeks to address recurring communication failures by the PCO that have resulted in public confusion and misconceptions surrounding government policies and actions.

Padilla criticized the PCO’s communication approach, describing it as frequently adversarial, overly rhetorical, and lacking clarity grounded in factual data. He highlighted specific concerns regarding PCO Undersecretary Claire Castro’s media appearances, accusing her of evading questions, obstructing reporters, and disseminating propaganda.

The resolution was filed in the wake of a tense Senate budget session where Padilla presented an unverified audio clip, which some believe was artificially generated, allegedly capturing Castro insulting a government social media operative. In the recording, the woman thought to be Castro called the troll “stupid,” prompting the troll to resign and warn that the exchange was being recorded. The audio concludes with the woman uttering an expletive.

Castro has since denied that the voice in the clip is hers.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III intervened during the session, advising Padilla against dragging the Senate into the issue and recommending that he coordinate with the National Bureau of Investigation instead. Sotto remarked, “It’s unfair for her if you mention her name here. I will give you an advice from Denzel Washington: "If you don’t listen to the news, you’re uninformed. If you listen to the news, you’re misinformed!"”

Meanwhile, Castro urged Padilla to avoid falling prey to misinformation himself, noting his authorship of legislation penalizing troll farms.

In response, Padilla, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, defended his conduct on social media. He emphasized that holding public information officials accountable is part of his official duties, stating, “Chairman po ako ng Senate on public information and mass media, trabaho ko po ang tanongin kayo na nasa public information hindi akusahan, kanya kanya po tayong mandato kaya wag po ninyo ako paandaran ng mga pasakalye niyo.”