FACT CHECK: Remulla denies statement urging the public to ‘move on’ from flood control controversies

Claim: Secretary of Interior and Local Government Jonvic Remulla urged Filipinos to move past the flood control corruption controversy as the dry summer season approaches, calling on the public to focus instead on the health risks posed by counterfeit cigarettes.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: Several versions of a quote card containing the claim have been circulating on Facebook and Instagram over the past month.

The most popular post was published on February 20, and has since garnered over 431,000 reactions, 53,700 comments, and 22,000 shares. It has also continued to circulated over a month later, with users posting new comments as recently as March 20.

The viral quote card contains the text: “Move on na tayo sa flood control na yan, papasok na ang summer wala ng tag-ulan. Mas importanteng tutukan itong mga pekeng sigarilyo dahil masama ito sa kalusugan.”

(Let’s move on from that flood control issue. Summer is approaching and the rainy season is over. It’s more important to focus on these fake cigarettes because they are bad for our health).

It was posted by a Facebook page named “Ikulong na yan Mga Kurakot (Jail the Corrupt),” with over 405,000 followers. The page has also repeatedly posted about Remulla in the past.

The facts: Remulla confirmed to Rappler in a March 18 email that he did not issue any statement urging the public to move on from the flood control controversies and focus on the counterfeit cigarettes issue instead.

“That’s totally false. Nothing will stop this admin from pursuing the flood control conspirators. Nothing. I never said that,” Remulla said.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) also issued a statement on February 22, condemning the post. The agency said, “At a time when the country is facing real challenges that demand focus, unity, and responsible discourse, it is deeply disappointing that someone would fabricate statements and falsely attribute them to a public official.”

The agency repeatedly warned the public about the fake and misleading information circulating online.

“Disinformation has consequences. It undermines public trust, distracts from urgent governance work, and creates confusion when Filipinos deserve facts and verified information. We urge the public to rely only on official DILG channels and verified statements. Accuracy, responsibility, and integrity are essential, especially in times when the nation needs clarity, not confusion,” the DILG said in a statement.

Fake cigarettes: The viral posts’ reference to Remulla’s campaign against fake cigarettes is related to the DILG’s recent crackdown on illegal tobacco operations in the country, such as the dismantling of a suspected illegal cigarette factory and storage facility in Cavite.

Remulla had also claimed that two Northern Luzon lawmakers were the masterminds behind another illegal cigarette factory in Pampanga that has produced a total of around P4.5 billion worth of cigarettes, according to a February 5 GMA News report. As of writing, these suspected lawmakers have not yet been identified.

Role in flood control probe: At the time the fake posts started circulating, Remulla, as DILG chief, had been giving regular updates on efforts to charge and arrest those suspected to be involved in the flood control controversy. In the weeks leading up to the post, he was actively giving updates on the arrest of former senator Bong Revilla and efforts to bring resigned lawmaker Zaldy Co back to the Philippines.

He also claimed that there have been attempts from government contractors involved in the flood control controversy to bribe him and his brother, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla, according to a January 19 Inquirer.net report.

Debunked: Rappler has previously debunked fabricated statements attributed to public officials regarding the multibillion-peso flood control controversies:

• FACT CHECK: DILG’s Remulla not resigning from Marcos Cabinet over flood control mess
• FACT CHECK: Video of Pampanga lawmaker admitting to receiving kickbacks is AI-manipulated
• FACT CHECK: Social media card of Leviste tagging Paolo Duterte in flood control mess is fake
• FACT CHECK: Videos of Alice Guo’s statement on flood control mess are fake
• FACT CHECK: VP Sara not named ‘mastermind’ in flood control corruption by Bong Revilla 

– Alyanna Marie Cruz, Justine Schzean De Jesus, Monica Gleza De Vera, Princess Allysa Dumduma, Jo Hannah Estrada, Earl Gregorio Gigantone, and Raymund Romeo Guzman/Rappler.com

This fact check was written by a group of students under the Social Media Dynamics class of Mr. Patrick Ernest Celso from the University of Santo Tomas. It was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor.

Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.