MANILA - Malacañang on Monday maintained that the EDSA Revolution was not a product of “fake news”, after a Palace communications official ran an online poll asking whether the historic bloodless revolution that toppled the Marcos dictatorship was such.

“According to the law, it is not fake news. According to the law, we honor the EDSA Revolution having declared it as a public holiday… We even have appropriate funds to commemorate the event,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a news conference in Malacañang.

“So we still recognize and we will always recognize EDSA not only as an important historical event, but it was the first bloodless people power revolution in the whole planet earth; and it remains significant.”

Palace Assistant Communications Secretary Mocha Uson on Sunday ran a Facebook poll asking whether the EDSA Revolution was a product of fake news, drawing flak among government critics.

The poll garnered about 61,800 votes, with 84 percent saying they agree that the bloodless revolt was a product of fake news.

Writer and novelist Miguel Syjuco called out Uson over the poll, accusing the latter of “historical whitewashing.”

“Incredible. And of course they'll disingenuously pretend that it's just a poll, and that it has nothing to do with historical whitewashing. Unless of course the poll says that more people believe EDSA People Power was fake news -- in which case, they'll trumpet it as fact. Because that's all you need these days, right? -- mob mentality in a nation of impoverished and undereducated citizens long manipulated by dynasties and trapos,” Syjuco said in a Facebook post.

“Were you informed that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, your principal, has released a statement calling for unity for today’s commemoration of the EDSA People Power?” said another Facebook user.

“Yet here you are trying to divide the people. What fake news? All of benefited the fruits of EDSA! Very shameful. Please stop using your mandate and influence to divide the people.

The Philippines commemorated on Sunday the 32nd anniversary of the revolution, which earned praises around the world and made the country a beacon of democracy in Southeast Asia.

Former President Fidel Ramos led the event, but Duterte skipped the celebration for the second time as the country’s chief executive, choosing to spend his time in Davao City.

Roque denied that by not attending the commemoration rites, there is an attempt on Duterte’s part to diminish the significance of the bloodless revolt in the country’s history.

“There’s none. It remains in our statute books. As in fact, the ceremonies are being, well, spearheaded by the National Historical Commission no less,” he said.

Duterte has made no secret his admiration for the late dictator Marcos, approving in 2016 the latter’s burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, much to the dismay of martial law victims.