Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Sunday denounced a viral social media post alleging a fresh leadership shakeup in the Senate, branding it as “Faky Breaky News” and calling out its creators for spreading misinformation.

The post, published Saturday night by a little-known outlet “OneTV Philippines,” claimed that Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano had secured enough support to assume the Senate presidency. Lacson swiftly dismissed the report as “peke” (fake), accusing its authors of attempting to sow confusion and undermine the credibility of the newly formed Senate majority.

“Malevolent, underhanded, foul and desperate,” Lacson said. “Kung may song na ‘Achy Breaky Hearts,’ eto naman – ‘Faky Breaky News.’”

The senator emphasized that any legitimate change in Senate leadership must follow a formal process: a resolution signed by at least 13 senators, presented directly to the sitting Senate President, who would then resign at the opening of session—not through speculative media posts.

The controversy comes just days after a real leadership transition on September 8, when former minority leader Vicente Sotto III was elected Senate President. Lacson himself was appointed Senate President Pro Tempore and now chairs the influential Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

The source of the rumor, OneTV Philippines, claims to be a digital news network based in Davao and Pagadian City. However, its online presence appears limited, with fewer than 2,000 YouTube subscribers and no recent updates since July 2024.

Lacson’s rebuke underscores the growing concern over misinformation in Philippine politics, especially as social media continues to play an outsized role in shaping public discourse.