FACT CHECK: Post links Zamboanga politicians to alleged bomb plot without proof

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The Team Zamboanga coalition posted a statement on its official Facebook page condemning the ‘malicious and utterly false allegations’

Claim: Former Zamboanga mayor Celso Lobregat and the Team Zamboanga political coalition are behind a bomb plot threatening to disrupt peace and order in Zamboanga City.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The Facebook post containing the claim has 323 shares, 80 comments, and 78 reactions as of writing.

The post includes a graphic with the text “BREAKING NEWS: Celso Lobregat at Team Zamboanga. Ayon sa isang mapagkakatiwalaang source, plano umano ni Celso Lobregat at ng Team Zamboanga na sirain ang peace and order sa lungsod ng Zamboanga sa pamamagitan ng pagsabog ng isang bomba.”

(Breaking news: Celso Lobregat and Team Zamboanga. According to a reliable source, Celso Lobregat and Team Zamboanga are allegedly planning to disrupt peace and order in Zamboanga City by detonating a bomb.)

The facts: The Facebook post provides no evidence or source for its claim, and there are no credible media reports about the supposed bomb plot.

In a statement on its official Facebook page on Tuesday, April 22, the Team Zamboanga slate denied the allegations.

“We strongly condemn the malicious and utterly false allegations circulating online accusing former Mayor Celso Lobregat and Team Zamboanga of plotting a bombing explosion to sabotage the peace and order in Zamboanga City,” the statement read. 

Describing the false claims as “dangerous and irresponsible,” the coalition warned that such false information not only threatens the safety and reputation of their team but also creates fear, confusion, and division within the community.

“We categorically deny these baseless accusations and urge the public to refrain from spreading unverified information. We are fully committed to peace, development, and the safety of our city, and we will not be deterred by smear campaigns rooted in lies and deception,” it added.

Political coalition: The Team Zamboanga coalition is composed of national and local political groups, including the Liberal Party, Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, and the Adelante Zamboanga Party. The coalition is supporting the mayoral bid of incumbent Zamboanga City 1st District Representative Khymer Olaso in the 2025 midterm elections, with former Zamboanga City Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco as his running mate. 

According to Lobregat, the coalition chose Olaso as their standard-bearer due to his high trust ratings.

Also part of the Team Zamboanga slate are Kaiser Olaso, who is running for the 1st District congressional seat, and Putik Village Chairperson Jerry Perez for the 2nd District.

The coalition is challenging the slate led by Zamboanga City 2nd District Representative Jose Manuel Dalipe, who is backed by the Lakas-CMD party. – Marjuice Destinado/Rappler.com

Marjuice Destinado is a Rappler intern. She is also a fact-checker and researcher-writer at Explained PH. A third-year political science student at Cebu Normal University (CNU), she serves as the feature editor of Ang Suga, CNU’s official student publication.

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