Pro-Duterte blogger denies organizing Facebook accounts ‘used to mislead’

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A social media manager supposedly for President Rodrigo Duterte during the 2016 elections has denied organizing a network of 200 pages and accounts linked to “misleading behavior.”According to Lei Alvez’s report on “24 Oras”, blogger Nic Gabunada denied Facebook’s allegation after the social media giant announced on Friday that it had taken down hundreds of pages and accounts.

Gabunanda said over the phone that he was a member of the groups that Facebook had closed because he was a part of Duterte’s election campaign three years ago.
He denied organizing the network or deceiving the public.
Gabunanda said he didn’t spread disinformation and fake news.

Pro-Duterte blogger denies organizing Facebook accounts ‘used to mislead’ 1
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a text message that Duterte had nothing to do with those accounts.
In a press conference earlier Friday, Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook’s head of Cybersecurity Policy, announced that they took down 67 pages, 68 accounts, 40 groups, and 25 Instagram accounts associated with public relations man Nic Gabunada due to “misleading behavior.”Gleicher said the people behind the activity “attempt to conceal their identities and make them look like their independent, but our investigation could confirm that this was a cluster of coordinated behavior” linked to a network supposedly organized by Gabunada.

“What we saw is this cluster of these pages, groups, and accounts, a combination of authentic and fake accounts that were being used to drive messaging on behalf and related to political candidates,” the Facebook executive said.
He also said these fake accounts usually post candidate updates and views, alleged misconduct of political opponents, and controversial events purported to have occurred during previous administrations.