Malacañang on Friday renewed its warning to the public against the spread of fake news and malicious rumors, particularly those intended to cast the administration in a negative light.

Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro expressed concern over the proliferation of fake news, particularly the false claim that she and ACT Teachers partylist Rep. France Castro are related.

“Siguro ito po iyong nakakalungkot. Bilang isang Bise Presidente, dapat na nanunood po siya ng mga press briefings. Niliwanag ko na po iyan minsan,” Castro said during a Malacañang press briefing.

In an interview posted on social media, the vice president criticized Rep. Castro and “her cousin Claire Castro” for their public statements against her.

The Palace press officer clarified that she and France Castro merely share the same surname and are not related.

“At alam ninyo po iyan … ang patungkol sa nasasabing relasyon namin ni Representative France Castro. Sinabi ko po na kami po ay hindi magkamag-anak. Magkapareho lang po siguro ng surname,” she added.

She noted that she would be proud to have an ACT Teachers partylist representative as a relative.

“Pero hindi ko po ikakahiya kung siya man po ay naging kamag-anak ko dahil siya po ay makabayan. Masasabi po nating makabayan, makatao rin po. Pero nagkataon lang po, hindi po kasi kami magkamag-anak,” Castro said. | PND