CONG CHATTO
In the digital age, the line between reality and fabrication can be distressingly thin, as evidenced by a recent incident involving a doctored photograph of Bohol’s First District Congressman, Atty. Edgar M. Chatto.
The manipulated image, which surfaced on a Facebook page named The Bohol Marites on May 28, 2024, falsely depicted Congressman Chatto attending the inauguration of Captain’s Peak Garden and Resort—a claim that has since been debunked.
The original photograph, taken during the inauguration of a culvert in Barangay Ilijan Norte, Tubigon, Bohol, was altered to portray Chatto at an event in Captain’s Peak, located in the second district’s Sagbayan town—an attendance that observers have deemed highly unlikely.
The deception was not subtle; the discrepancies in the image were apparent, pointing to a clear case of digital manipulation.
The intent behind the fabrication appears to be politically charged.
The accompanying post on The Bohol Marites page insinuated misconduct related to the issuance of permits and clearances for Captain’s Peak, dating back to 2018 when Chatto served as the governor of Bohol.
The post provocatively questioned why Chatto was not among those suspended in the wake of the Ombudsman’s preventive suspension of 69 officials connected to the Captain’s Peak controversy.
As of May 30, 2024, the post had garnered 550 reactions and 179 comments, reflecting the public’s engagement with the issue.
The matter has gained further complexity following the Ombudsman’s actions against current and former officials, including Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado, who now finds himself at the center of the Captain’s Peak case.
This incident raises critical questions about the integrity of information disseminated online and the potential for such distortions to influence public perception and political discourse, said a netizen.
It underscores the necessity for vigilant scrutiny of online content and the importance of holding those who propagate falsehoods accountable, the netizen added.