NONTHABURI, Thailand— Malacañang on Saturday condemned the alleged Bangkok Post article claiming the King of Thailand ordered President Rodrigo Duterte to behave during the 35th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

“The Palace condemns the latest black propaganda waged by the President’s fierce and unthinking critics and detractors by peddling a bogus news story allegedly published by the Bangkok Post with the header, ‘King orders PH Duterte, behave during ASEAN summit,’” Palace spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

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Panelo said the report’s release was “deliberate and malicious” as it coincided with Duterte’s arrival in Thailand on Friday.

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar had earlier dismissed the alleged report as “fake news” and said he would tap the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to trace its source.

READ: Thai king ordered Duterte to behave during Asean meet? ‘Fake news’ says Andanar

“These raucous anti-Duterte forces should be educated that when the Head of State and the Chief Executive of the Government of the Philippines is on an official trip overseas, we set aside politics — even the bitterest one amongst foes,” Panelo said.

“If this group cannot rally behind a nation’s mandated leader, as he represents not only his office but the image of the nation as a whole, it should at least observe moratorium on their campaign on hate,” he added.

Panelo also reminded those “peddlers of false information” that Thailand has “one of the strictest lese-majeste laws in the world,” referring to a law which prohibits insult of the monarchy.

“Harming Philippine -Thai bilateral relations by defaming the monarchy through lies and falsehoods is punishable by prison term, and those behind this recent insolence must face such a grim consequence,” Panelo said. /jpv

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