This fact-check clarifies a viral claim circulating on social media alleging that Cagayan de Oro 1st District Representative Lordan Suan declared Vice President Sara Duterte as “unwelcome” in Cagayan de Oro, particularly in District 1.

The claim spread widely on Facebook, especially within pro-Duterte community groups, where a quote card attributed to Suan gained thousands of reactions, comments, and shares.The supposed statement included a line in Cebuano suggesting that VP Sara should no longer visit Cagayan de Oro because she is not welcome there.The post also triggered strong reactions online, with users either criticising Suan or defending the Vice President.However, the allegation has been officially debunked.

A staff member from Suan’s office, Political Affairs Officer Joel Torres, confirmed that the circulating statement is false and that the congressman never made such remarks.The office stressed that the quote is fabricated and forms part of a recurring pattern of misinformation targeting the lawmaker.Additional versions of the false claim also included an alleged deleted interview clip, which was later found to be artificially generated.

Detection tools flagged the audio and video as highly likely AI-generated, reinforcing concerns about manipulated content being used to mislead the public.

The report also situates Suan within the broader political context, noting his role as one of the House prosecutors in the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.He has previously voted in favour of her impeachment, citing accountability and legal process.The impeachment trial is scheduled to begin on July 6, with allegations involving misuse of public funds and other charges.

Despite the political tension, there is no evidence that Suan made the viral “unwelcome” remark, and the claim has been officially dismissed as fake information.