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Filipino Religious Festival Brawl Falsely Portrayed as Political Unrest
A video circulating on social media showing men in yellow and white shirts engaged in a fistfight has been misleadingly presented as evidence of internal conflict among Liberal Party supporters in the Philippines. The Facebook reel, which has garnered over 243,000 views and thousands of interactions since its October 9 posting, carries text claiming “Nagkagulo na ang mga dilawan” (The yellows are getting into a fight) and calls for corrupt officials to step down.
The timing of the post—following recent nationwide anti-corruption demonstrations—appears calculated to link the footage to current political tensions. Comments on the video frequently call for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to resign to prevent further chaos in the country.
However, a fact-check reveals the video has been completely misrepresented. The original footage was uploaded on September 12 and shows a brawl that erupted during the traslacion procession of the Peñafrancia Festival in Naga City, one of the Philippines’ most significant religious celebrations.
The men in the video are not political activists or Liberal Party supporters, but religious devotees known locally as “voyadores.” Their yellow and white attire reflects traditional colors associated with the Peñafrancia Festival and specifically the image of Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia, who is typically depicted wearing golden yellow liturgical garments.
Location markers in the video, including visible commercial establishments, confirm the incident took place along Elias Angeles Street in Naga City, a known route for the traslacion procession. The Peñafrancia Festival, held every September, is Asia’s largest Marian gathering, attracting over a million devotees annually.
The misleading portrayal attempts to capitalize on recent political tensions in the Philippines. Since September, the country has experienced significant anti-corruption protests sparked by allegations of flood control ghost projects and kickback schemes involving politicians and contractors. The Trillion Peso March on September 21 drew thousands of participants nationwide, with organizers planning weekly demonstrations leading up to a larger rally scheduled for November 30.
The term “dilawan” (yellows) used in the misleading post is a pejorative label often applied to Liberal Party supporters, who traditionally use yellow as their campaign color. By falsely identifying religious devotees as political activists, the post appears designed to discredit opposition groups by portraying them as disorganized and prone to infighting.
This incident represents a growing pattern of manipulated content on social media platforms. Fact-checkers have previously identified numerous cases where unrelated videos have been repurposed to create misleading narratives about political protests in the Philippines.
The spread of such misinformation highlights ongoing challenges in the Philippine information ecosystem, particularly as political tensions increase and social media continues to serve as a primary news source for many citizens. The rapid spread of the video—accumulating hundreds of thousands of views within days—demonstrates how quickly misinformation can circulate, potentially shaping public perception of current events.
Media literacy experts recommend that viewers carefully verify sources and context before sharing potentially misleading content, particularly during periods of heightened political activity when misinformation tends to proliferate.
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8 Comments
It’s concerning to see religious gatherings devolve into violence like this. Hopefully the organizers can take steps to improve security and defuse tensions at future Peñafrancia festivals. Spreading misinformation about the cause is not helpful.
Agreed. Spreading false narratives, especially around sensitive political and religious issues, can inflame conflicts further. Fact-checking is crucial in these situations.
Interesting that this brawl footage was misrepresented as a political riot. Religious festivals can sometimes get quite raucous, though violence is concerning. I wonder what the underlying causes were for the conflict during this Peñafrancia procession.
You’re right, it’s important not to jump to conclusions about the motivations behind such incidents. More context is needed to understand what really happened.
It’s troubling to see religious gatherings marred by violence, regardless of the cause. I hope the organizers of the Peñafrancia Festival can work to address the underlying issues that led to this brawl and prevent similar incidents in the future.
Misrepresenting footage like this is irresponsible and can have real consequences. While brawls at religious events are concerning, using them for political purposes is unethical. I hope the true context of this Peñafrancia incident is widely shared.
Well said. Fact-checking and accurate reporting are so important, especially around sensitive topics like religion and politics.
This is an unfortunate incident, but I’m glad the video was properly debunked. Religious festivals should be a time of unity and celebration, not fighting. Hopefully the organizers can review security protocols to prevent similar brawls in the future.