Fact check: Risa Hontiveros did not ask Eala to endorse LGBT advocacy
MANILA, Philippines — Viral posts, amplified by notable personalities, falsely claimed that Sen. Risa Hontiveros asked tennis sensation Alex Eala to advocate for a political cause.
The claim, shared across multiple pages on Facebook and X since March 29, alleged that Hontiveros wanted Eala to use her image for LGBT advocacy at upcoming international tournaments, to which the tennis star supposedly refused and emphasized the separation between politics and sports.
Several of these Facebook pages, such as Tennis Now Insight, Tennis Spark, and HOOPS Basketball Legends, have gained thousands of reactions on their posts on the matter.
Former broadcaster Jay Sonza shared a similar claim in his own Facebook post on Wednesday, April 1, garnering over 20,000 reactions, 3,400 comments, and 1,600 shares. Political analyst Malou Tiquia also reposted the claim on X which gained over a hundred reposts and likes.
Both Sonza’s and Tiquia’s posts were featured in Hontiveros’ Facebook post debunking the claim.
Rating: This is fake.
Facts
Hontiveros described the circulating posts as “lies” in a statement on Wednesday, April 1, and urged Meta and X to take action against them.
“Stop the lies. Hindi ako humingi ng anumang pag-endorso ni Alex Eala,” she said.
Meanwhile, Eala has not issued any statement on the matter, and no official interview, press conference, or credible report supports the claim.
The tennis star is currently on an extended Holy Week break with her family ahead of her clay season campaign starting Monday in Austria.
Why we fact-checked this
Eala recently finished her Miami Open campaign on March 23 following her defeat against Karolina Muchova, maintaining public attention on her.
With the continued rise of the tennis star, some Facebook pages like Tennis Now Insight have been posting AI-generated images of Eala to drive engagement, often performing better when paired with political content.
The claim also gained significant reach after being shared by public figures with large followings, increasing its visibility and potential impact on public perception.
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