Lies from Noynoy’s Handlers

According to this email forward, a sumptuous mansion featured in a series of attached photographs belongs to President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe. The email claims that while Mugabe lives in such opulent luxury, the ordinary people of Zimbabwe face poverty under his leadership.

However, the mansion depicted in these photographs is not Mugabe’s residence at all. In fact, the very same set of photographs has also circulated in protest messages decrying the opulent lifestyles of other political leaders and celebrities. One version claims that the home belongs to President Pervaiz Musharraf of Pakistan. Another claims that the mansion is the home of former Nigerian ruler Ibrahim Babangida. Yet another version suggests that the photographs show the home of former Secretary of Health Care of Azerbaijan, Russia. And, finally, many references, including a YouTube video, claim that the home belongs to Bollywood superstar, Shahrukh Khan.

Opinion, Philippine Daily Inquirer

Dear Editor:

This is to clarify certain points that a reader, a certain Jocelyn Gonzales, publicly raised about Sen. Manny Villar’s ads (“Money” talks, PDI opinion page, Feb 17, 2010).

1. That “the line between truth and claims gets blurred”, that claims can be turned into truth with Villar’s ads, Goebbels (Nazi propagandist) of Hitler proselytizes so. Unfortunately, even Ms. Gonzales believes in the dictum of repeating a lie to appear true.

Who’s the true leader?