MANILA, Philippines — Actor Dingdong Dantes has officially debunked a viral social media post that falsely attributed a quote to him praising Vice President Sara Duterte.
The clarification, made on Friday, February 20, 2026, addressed a screenshot circulating on Facebook that claimed Dantes found Duterte’s leadership potential “terrifyingly” similar to her father’s, former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Key Details of the Incident:
- The Fake Quote: The viral post claimed Dantes said: “It’s terrifying should VP Sara win… I can see in her the courage, wit, and the ability to lead like her father.”
- Dantes’ Response: The actor shared a screenshot of the post on his official Facebook page with the caption: “Hindi ko ‘to sinabi” (I didn’t say this), effectively shutting down the disinformation.
- Origin of the Hoax: The netizen who originally shared the post, a Duterte supporter, admitted that she saw the quote on TikTok and Threads before reposting it to Facebook, where it garnered nearly 80,000 reactions.
- Apology: The netizen has since deleted the post and issued a public apology to Dantes, stating, “Nag-sorry na po ko kay sir Dingdong.”
Political Context
The misinformation surfaced just days after Vice President Sara Duterte officially announced her candidacy for the 2028 presidential elections on February 18. Dantes has previously been vocal about his stand against corruption but has not endorsed any candidates for the 2028 race.