Fourth of four parts
With the overseas absentee voting set to begin on April 10, registered Filipino voters all over the world will be casting their ballots for the country’s next set of officials, including the 17th president, and determine the course of the nation’s progress in the coming years.
In this four-part series, VERA Files Fact Check compiled relevant information about six of the top candidates vying for Malacañang, and their respective vice presidential bets, to help voters make the ultimate decision.
Grouped alphabetically, each profile contains a summary of the candidates’ main platform, experience in public office or field of expertise, issues and controversies faced, relatives in government, and other interesting facts.
Likewise listed are previous fact checks of the candidate done by VERA Files Fact Check and its media and academic partners in the Tsek.ph collaboration.
(See VERA FILES FACT SHEET: Who among the 2022 hopefuls have spread misinformation)
Part 4 of this series includes three vice presidential bets, namely, cardiologist Willie Ong, Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, and Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.
Scroll down to know more about the candidates:
Willie Ong
Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan
Vicente “Tito” Sotto III
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Sources
Ong
- Doc Willie Ong, Official Website, n.d.
- Doc Willie Ong, Official YouTube Channel, n.d.
- Doc Willie Ong, Official Facebook Page, n.d.
- Doc Willie Ong, Personal Facebook Page, n.d.
- CNN Philippines, Rewind 2021: Vice presidential aspirants | The Source, Dec. 24, 2021
- Rappler, FULL SPEECH: Willie Ong at campaign kick-off, Feb. 9, 2022
- ANC 24/7, Headstart: 2022 Vice Presidential candidate Dr. Willie Ong on why he chose to run, plans for PH, Sept. 23, 2021
- GMA News, Ikaw Na Ba? The Vice Presidential Interviews on DZBB | Dr. Willie Ong, Feb. 7, 2022
- CNN Philippines, Vice presidential aspirant Dr. Willie Ong bares key healthcare platforms, Nov. 24, 2021
- Co Tec Tai Medical Museum, Official Facebook Page, n.d.
- GMA News, Pasay medical museum shows how epidemics shaped history, Oct. 8, 2012
- Inquirer.net, Dr. Willie Ong files COC for Senate bid, Oct. 11, 2018
- Rappler, Dr. Willie Ong runs for senator, banks on ‘10M FB followers,’ Oct. 11, 2018
- Interaksyon, Surprise candidacy of social media doctor Willie Ong, Oct. 11, 2018
- ABS-CBN News, ‘I could have won’: Doc Willie Ong reflects on failed Senate bid, May 20, 2019
On Ong’s absence during the Mindanao sorties
- ABS-CBN News, ‘Hurt’ Willie Ong says no grudge vs those pairing Isko with other VP bets, Feb. 21, 2022
- GMA News Online, Moreno explains Ong’s absence in Maguindanao campaign, says their tandem will remain, Feb. 22, 2022
- Manila Bulletin, Not bringing Doc Willie to Mindanao sorties was my ‘personal decision’ – Banayo, Feb. 22, 2022
Pangilinan
Kiko Pangilinan Official Facebook Page, Sana All, Nov. 9, 2021
Kiko Pangilinan Official Facebook Page, No Caption, Feb. 6, 2018
Kiko Pangilinan Official Website, Sino Si Kiko (Biodata), Accessed March 18, 2022
Kiko Pangilinan Official Website, Bakit Si Kiko, Accessed March 18, 2022
Government Experience
- Kiko Pangilinan Official Website, Sino Si Kiko (Biodata), Accessed March 18, 2022
- Official Gazette of the Philippines, Republic Act No. 11321, April 17, 2019
- Official Gazette of the Philippines, Republic Act No. 9262, March 8, 2004
- Official Gazette of the Philippines, Republic Act No. 9227, Oct. 23, 2003
- Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB), Republic Act No. 9285, April 2, 2004
- Official Gazette of the Philippines, Republic Act No. 9279, March 30, 2004
- Official Gazette of the Philippines, Republic Act No. 9293, April 21, 2004
Issues and controversies
- ABS-CBN News, Kiko Pangilinan sues YouTube channel Maharlika for cyber libel, Feb. 14, 2022
- Philstar.com, Pangilinan files cyber libel raps vs YouTube channel Maharlika, Feb. 14, 2022
- GMA News Online, Pangilinan files cyber libel case vs. YouTube channel Maharlika, Feb. 14, 2022
- Philstar.com, Pangilinan sues people behind 2 YouTube channels for cyber libel, July 16, 2021
- ABS-CBN News, ‘Too much’: Pangilinan files cyber libel complaint vs 2 YouTube channels spreading ‘fake news’ vs family, July 16, 2021
- Business Mirror, Kiko Pangilinan sues YouTube for hosting fake videos, July 16, 2021
Family members in government
- Official Gazette of the Philippines, Appointments and Designations: May, 1950, May 1, 1950
- Inquirer.net, Sharon Cuneta remembers late father Pablo amid trying times, July 3, 2020
- GMA News Online, Sharon Cuneta to late father Pablo Cuneta: “I miss you so much.”, Feb. 3, 2021
- Rappler, Sharon Cuneta’s brother Chet to run for Pasay mayor, July 2, 2018
Interesting Facts
- UP Office of the Student Regent, YEARS OF SACRIFICE, YEARS OF STRUGGLE , Accessed March 18, 2022
- Sweet Spring Country Farm, A look at Kiko Pangilinan’s Farm, Dec. 13, 2013
- Senate of the Philippines, Sen. Kiko launches first authored book, Tagsibol, May 13, 2018
- Philstar.com, Kiko Pangilinan: From Senator to farmer, May 19, 2013
Sotto
- CNN Philippines official YouTube channel, CNN Philippines Vice Presidential Debate, Feb. 27, 2022
- Lacson-Sotto Media Bureau official email, Transcript: Lacson-Sotto Remarks at Town Hall Meeting in Cauayan City, Isabela, March 14, 2022
- Senate of the Philippines, Senator Vicente C. Sotto III (Biography), accessed March 18, 2022
- Senate of the Philippines, Senator Vicente C. Sotto III (Resume), accessed March 18, 2022
- Rappler, FAST FACTS: 2022 presidential nominee Ping Lacson, vice presidential nominee Tito Sotto, Sept. 8, 2021
On plagiarism
- Gulf News, Academics, bloggers file plagiarism complaint, Nov. 13, 2012, Gulf News
- Inquirer.net, Sotto faces ethics complaint over alleged plagiarism, Nov. 13, 2012
- GMA News Online, Professors, bloggers file ethics complaint vs Sotto, Nov. 13, 2012,
- The Healthy Home Economist, On Plagiarism, The Pill, and Presumptuousness, Aug. 25, 2018
- Inquirer.net, Sotto should be ‘man enough to apologize’, says US blogger, Aug. 18, 2012
- Philippine Daily Inquirer, Sotto does it again, channels Robert F. Kennedy in Filipino, Sept. 6, 2012
- ABS-CBN News, Sotto’s office admits copying US blog, Aug. 16, 2012
- Rappler, Sotto’s staff admits plagiarizing blogger, Aug. 16, 2012
- Yahoo Southeast Asia News, Blogger: Sotto a ‘lying thief’; solon’s staff admits shortcoming, Aug. 17, 2012
- Rappler, ‘I’m sorry,’ Sotto tells Kennedy family, Nov. 13, 2012, Rappler
On ‘na-ano lang’
- Rappler, Sotto insults single mother DSWD chief Taguiwalo: ‘Na-ano lang’, May 3, 2017
- Inquirer.net, Sotto on Taguiwalo remarks: If I’m a bad person, then I apologize, May 3, 2017
- Inquirer.net, Taguiwalo: I accept Sotto apology, but I don’t tolerate misogyny, May 5, 2017
- GMA News Online, Taguiwalo child wants Tito Sotto to apologize to her mom, May 3, 2017
- Philippine Star, Sotto hit over ‘single mom’ remark, May 4, 2017
- ABS-CBN News, ‘Na-ano lang’: Sotto twits Taguiwalo for having children out of wedlock, May 3, 2017
On the Pepsi Paloma rape articles
- Rappler, Sotto asks Inquirer to remove articles on Pepsi Paloma, June 16, 2018
- Philippine Daily Inquirer, Sotto asks Inquirer.net to remove Pepsi Paloma stories, June 18, 2018
- ABS-CBN News, Sotto asks Inquirer to take down stories on Pepsi Paloma rape, death, June 16, 2018
- Inquirer.net US Bureau, The rape of Pepsi Paloma (Archived), March 5, 2014
- Inquirer.net US Bureau, Was Pepsi Paloma murdered? (Archived), March 15, 2014,
- Inquirer.net, Tito Sotto denies whitewashing Pepsi Paloma rape case (Archived), March 3, 2016
- ABS-CBN News YouTube channel, Independence: Sotto – Pepsi Paloma rape stories are ‘fake news’, Aug. 2, 2018
Interesting Facts
- Bulatlat, Beyond Arroyo and Beyond Retaking Power, accessed March 22, 2022
- Deadline all the time, Sotto, Oreta file candidacies for Senate, Feb. 11, 2007
- Commission on Elections, 2007 National and Local Elections | Results (Archive), accessed March 22, 2022
- The Official Gazette, Republic Act No. 9165, accessed March 18, 2022
- The Official Gazette, Republic Act. No. 8369, accessed March 18, 2022
- The Official Gazette, Republic Act No. 10361, accessed March 18, 2022
- ABS-CBN News, Tito, Vic and Joey reunite for movie ‘Iskul Bukol: 20 Years After’, Nov. 27, 2008
- Philippine Daily Inquirer, Tito, Vic and Joey still not quitting, breaking trends as they celebrate 50th year in the biz, Jan. 17, 2022
Basic information
- Inquirer.net, Belmonte’s local party endorses Sotto’s VP bid, March 8, 2022
- Tito Sotto’s official website, About | Tito Sotto, accessed March 18, 2022
- Rappler, Tito Sotto and the blurry lines of showbiz, politics, May 17, 2017
(Guided by the code of principles of the International Fact-Checking Network at Poynter, VERA Files tracks the false claims, flip-flops, misleading statements of public officials and figures, and debunks them with factual evidence. Find out more about this initiative and our methodology.)