NBI files sedition raps vs. Harry Roque, vlogger Maharlika for alleged involvement in viral 'polvoron' video
The National Bureau of Investigation filed inciting to sedition complaints against former palace spokesman Harry Roque and vlogger Claire Contreras or Maharlika for their alleged role in the deepfake "polvoron" video of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. purportedly doing drugs.
The Philippine STAR reported that NBI Director Jaime Santiago recommended the cases to Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon early this week.
The NBI also filed cyberlibel and computer forgery cases against Contreras.
In a Facebook post on April 15, Roque "thanked" the NBI for the cases. "Malalantad na sa wakas na authentic ang pulvoronic video! Check mate!" he said.
In another post, he questioned why the NBI is filing the complaints. "Bakit NBI ang nagsampa ng kaso? Dapat yung 'di umano ay nadungisan na pangalan! Duwag!" he said.
GMA News reported that in July 2024, the bureau's forensics analysis has shown that Marcos wasn't the man seen in the so-called "polvoron" video.
The NBI showed photos of Marcos' right ear and the man's, and pointed out the differences.
“From the video spectral analysis, we can see that the intertragal notches here are embossed,” Dr. Joseph Reuel Cruz of the NBI Medico-Legal Division said at the time.
“Compared here, which is not that embossed," Cruz added, noting that the notch of Marcos' ear was larger than that of the person in the video. He also said that Marcos’s antitragus sphere was more embossed.
The NBI's cases against Roque and Contreras came days after vlogger Vicente "Pebbles" Cunanan, in a House TriComm's hearing into the spread of fake news, name-dropped Roque as the one who's allegedly behind the spread of the polvoron video.
Cunanan, who uses she/her pronouns, on April 8 accused Roque of making it appear that Marcos was doing drugs in a bid to bring down the administration.
"Ang labis ko ding natandaan nong gabing iyon ay nang sabihin ni Atty. Roque na, 'Magaling ako magpabagsak ng gobyerno,'" Cunanan said. "Si Atty. Harry Roque ang nasa likod ng video na 'yan... Ang sabi po sa akin sakyan mo na lang."
Cunanan identified attendees of a private dinner in Hong Kong on April 7, 2024, including Roque, former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez, former press secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles, as well as pro-Duterte personalities like Lorraine Badoy and Sass Rogando Sassot.
In her affidavit, Cunanan accused Roque of telling her that he received a screenshot of a video from a politician's relative regarding Marcos' alleged cocaine use.
Cunanan noted that there were discussions on foreign vloggers spreading the screenshot in question to make the story about Marcos more believable.
"Sa panahon na yun gusto nila pabagsakin ang presidente," Cunanan said.
Cunanan said she got a copy of the video on July 22, 2024, the day of Marcos' second State of the Nation Address. The video went public ahead of the SONA.
She claimed Roque messaged her to inform her that the video has a raw version and an enhanced one. She got the latter.
"Sa enhanced version na ipinadala sa akin, sa aking pagkakaintindi ay in-edit at in-augment ang video upang magmukhang si Pangulong BBM mismo ang nasa eksena," she said.
"Maski yung raw video, hindi po ako naniniwala na siya yun... Hindi po si PBBM yun, hindi po 'yun 'yung presidente," she said.
