Claim: Surigao del Norte 2nd District Representative and House quad committee chair Robert Ace Barbers admitted that he is a drug lord.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: The Facebook page “Anonymous Surigao” posted the video on December 6. As of writing, it has garnered 46,000 views, 400 reactions, 123 comments, and 102 shares.
The video showed Barbers saying the following: “But now, I am now considered as a drug lord. Hindi po ako lang, hindi po ako lang, hindi naman po ako ang quad comm. So, ngayon, drug lord na ako. (But now, I am now considered as a drug lord. It’s not just me, I’m not the quad comm. So, now, I’m a drug lord.) I’ve been fighting this drug war for several decades since I became a politician in 1995 until now, this year.”
The video’s caption reiterated the claim and mentioned the alleged transport of P40 million worth of shabu from Lipata Port to Liloan Port. It alleged that the SUV driver involved is Barbers’ brother, and that Surigao del Norte Governor Robert Lyndon Barbers is supposedly providing protection for illegal drug activities.
Barbers is the overall chairman of the House quad committee, which has been investigating the previous Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
The facts: The video posted by the Facebook page “Anonymous Surigao” is an edited version of Barbers’ statement during a hearing of the House committee on public order and safety on November 19.
In the original video, Barbers shared his experience of being falsely tagged as a high-value target and drug lord on social media. The spliced video deliberately cut out key portions of his speech to alter the context.
Rappler compared the spliced video with the original footage. The text in bold show the portions that were deliberately removed:
| Misleading video | Barbers’ original statement |
| But now, I am now considered as a drug lord | Timestamp in original video: 2:21:17 Ako po’y nagtataka lamang. I’m sure this is not just…probably [not] just my experience, but I’m sure marami tayong kasamahan na nagiging subject ng tirades, or ‘yung mga fake news, ‘no, sa social media. E ako nga, I’ve been advocating, I am [an] anti-illegal drugs advocate but now I am considered as a drug lord. |
| Hindi po ako lang, hindi po ako lang, hindi naman po ako ang quad comm | Timestamp in original video: 2:21:46 So, if you’re going visit doon sa mga social media na lumalabas, e perhaps that’s just one way of these people trying to discredit and probably destroy the credibility of the quad committee. Hindi po ako lang. Hindi po ako lang. Hindi naman po ako ang quad comm, ako lamang po ang isa sa mga kasamahan ng aking mga magagaling na co-chairs. |
So, ngayon, drug lord na ako | Timestamp in original video: 2:22:17 But ito ay kung nangyari nga ‘yan sa pag-discredit, pagsira, o paninirang-puri sa mga miyembro o kawani sa Philippine National Police, hindi po malayo na tayo bilang mga political personalities ay maging biktima rin nito, and I will attest to that because ako mismo na-experience ko ‘yan eh. So, ngayon, drug lord na ako. |
| I’ve been fighting this drug war for several decades since I became a politician in 1995 until now this year | Timestamp in original video: 2:22:40 I’ve been fighting this drug war for several decades since I became a politician in 1995 until now, I’m an anti-illegal drug advocate. Now, it’s just now, this year, that I’ve been considered a high-value target. |
Fake news: On November 12, a post linking Barbers and his brother to a drug den in a Surigao City hotel raided by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Regional Office XIII (PDEA RO XIII) circulated on social media.
Facebook pages like “Surigao Media” shared these, which were reposted by other accounts.
On November 15, PDEA RO XIII said the posts linking the Barbers to a drug syndicate were “fake news.”
In the same statement, PDEA RO XIII confirmed that an anti-narcotics operation was successfully conducted in Surigao City, resulting in the arrest of three identified drug personalities and the seizure of illegal drugs, paraphernalia, and other incriminating items.
However, the agency said there was “no factual basis linking the Barbers to the activities of these individuals.”
“The anti-drug operation was the outcome of extensive intelligence efforts, including rigorous surveillance, monitoring, and validation aimed at addressing the drug problem. PDEA RO XIII emphasizes that those apprehended have no affiliation with Congressman Robert Ace S. Barbers or Governor Robert Lyndon S. Barbers,” the agency stated. – Rappler.com
Erwin Mascariñas is a freelance writer, photojournalist, and videographer based in Butuan City. He is also an Aries Rufo Journalism Fellow of Rappler for 2024.
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