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The supposed city council resolution circulating online is fake, with Davao City Acting Vice Mayor Rodrigo ‘Rigo’ Duterte II saying the city has ‘far more important matters to attend to’
Claim: Comedian and television host Vice Ganda is set to be declared persona non grata or an “unwelcome person” in Davao City following a comedy stint that mocked former president Rodrigo Duterte.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: A supposed resolution letter from the Davao City council has been circulating online. One such post, published by the page “Davaoeños Duterte Defender,” garnered over 2,100 reactions, 425 comments, and 691 shares as of writing. It was shared and reposted by other accounts, including one verified account that said in its caption: “Persona Non-Grata Vice Ganda in DAVAO CITY. Dapat niyan whole MINDANAO (It should be the entire Mindanao).”
The posts feature a screenshot of a document titled “A resolution declaring Jose Marie Viceral A.K.A Vice Ganda as persona non grata in Davao City.”
The supposed resolution cited a recent comedic stint by Vice Ganda during a collaboration concert with singer Regine Velasquez last August 8. During the concert, the comedian performed a parody of a viral ad song that supposedly mocked Duterte and his “jet ski” remarks related to the dispute in the West Philippine Sea. The skit also referenced Duterte’s imprisonment at The Hague and called out the DDS, or Diehard Duterte Supporters.
The resolution criticized the comedian for allegedly using Duterte for clout. It also encouraged Davao City residents, institutions, and private businesses to refrain from supporting products and services endorsed by Vice Ganda.
The facts: The City Council of Davao has not released any announcement or resolution declaring Vice Ganda persona non grata in the city.
Acting Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo “Rigo” Duterte II also debunked the claim, saying that the city council would rather tend to other priority policies and programs over “cheap insults and distasteful jokes made for clout.”
“Public figures like Vice Ganda, who use their platform to mock rather than uplift, reveal more about their own character than about the people they ridicule,” he added.
Falsified document: The purported resolution is fake. For starters, it lacks the official seal of Davao City, which is present in official documents published on the local government’s website, to prove that it was indeed issued by the city council.
The document also bears no date of passage or list of signatories, and the resolution number is left blank.
‘Unwelcome’: Persona non grata is a Latin phrase that means “unwelcome person.” In countries like the Philippines, local government units may pass resolutions declaring individuals or groups as persona non grata.
These declarations, however, are generally considered to be non-binding expressions of displeasure and do not have the legal effect of restricting a person’s freedom of movement or other constitutional rights. Authorities cannot stop someone who is declared as persona non grata from entering or traveling to the identified place or area.
Vice Ganda’s skit: The “jet ski” remark referenced in Vice Ganda’s skit stems from a declaration made by Duterte during his 2016 presidential campaign, where he promised to ride a jet ski to the West Philippine Sea to assert the country’s sovereign rights.
Vice Ganda’s performance also highlighted Duterte’s arrest last March on charges of crimes against humanity, and his transfer to the International Criminal Court detention facility in The Hague, Netherlands.
Responding to Vice Ganda’s performance, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro downplayed the controversy, saying Duterte did make the joke referenced in the comedian’s skit.
Rappler has debunked similar claims of individuals being declared persona non grata in specific areas:
– Jerry Yubal Jr./Rappler.com
Jerry Yubal Jr. is a graduate of Aries Rufo Journalism fellowship program of Rappler for 2023-2024. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.
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.
