On October 30, 2017, Philippine Star published a column by Al Pedroche in its Pilipino edition in which he narrated a supposed conversation between U.S. President Donald Trump and an unnamed reporter from an unnamed news organization. Among other things, Trump reportedly called Philippine Senator Antonio Trillanes a ‘narco.’ (At some point after the publication, PhilStar pulled the column from its online site, but the printed edition, of course, remained intact.)

On November 1, 2017, Philippine Star published another column, this time by Mary Ann LL Reyes, in which she also narrated the same unconfirmed conversation between Trump and the unnamed reporter.

On October 31, 2017 — or a day after the PhilStar column came out — The Adobo Chronicles published a satirical article based on the column of Mr. Pedroche. In that satirical article, we referenced the unconfirmed report about Trump calling Trillanes a ‘narco.’ Then we added a fictional response by Trillanes, calling Trump a ‘Wacko.’

published a satirical article based on the column of Mr. Pedroche. In that satirical article, we referenced the unconfirmed report about Trump calling Trillanes a ‘narco.’ Then we added a fictional response by Trillanes, calling Trump a ‘Wacko.’ On November 1, PhilStar published a news report by Kristine Patag regarding Trillanes’ assertion that the alleged conversation between Trump and the unnamed reporter as narrated in the PhilStar opinion column was ‘fake.’ The news reporter ‘researched’ the source of the ‘fake’ report online which, Patag said, led to Adobo Chronicles as the source.

On November 2, Adobo Chronicles publisher sent an email to the editor of PhilStar. Here is the email and the subsequet response from PhilStar:

Our focus at The Adobo Chronicles is writing and publishing satirical news and memes. We are not in the business of being the subject of news.

And so while we are not convinced about the alibi stated by PhilStar in its response to our email, we content ourselves with the correction of the story and the expression of regret over the erroneous reference to The Adobo Chronicles in the original November 1 news report by Ms. Patag.

There are other parties that may have been offended by PhilStar’s erroneous report and so we leave it up to them to take the necessary action that they see as appropriate.