MANILA, Philippines – ABS-CBN News has issued an apology to Senator Francis Tolentino after mistakenly using his photos in a report about a shooting incident in General Santos City.

On Sunday, March 2, TV Patrol Weekend aired a report on a March 1 shooting that left three men injured in Barangay Labangal. However, the segment inadvertently included images of Tolentino and his campaign staff, which his office later clarified were taken on February 27 during his visit to the city for the Kalilangan Festival.

“ABS-CBN Integrated News apologizes for the unintentional error. The news management is looking into this matter and reviewing editorial processes to avoid similar mistakes,” the network said in a statement.

As soon as the mistake was flagged on Sunday night, ABS-CBN immediately took down the report from all its digital platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok.

Tolentino cries foul

The senator decried the incident, saying he “strongly condemns” the use of his photos in the crime report.

“This is downright fake news! My staff and I had no involvement of whatever kind with the said crime. Intentional or not, this mistake could have been prevented if only ABS-CBN News verified the pictures. Observing due diligence is the primary responsibility of any media organization,” Tolentino said.

Although ABS-CBN News has already issued a statement, Tolentino urged the news agency in a live broadcast to “reveal the truth.”  

He did not confirm whether he would still file a case against ABS-CBN News following the sttaement.