No, this is not a real photo of a banner urging Filipino youth to join a communist rebellion

A photo has been shared hundreds of times in a Facebook post that claims it shows a banner from a human rights group urging Filipino youth to join a communist rebel group.

The claim is false; the image has been doctored from an original photo in which the banner displayed an anti-fascist message.

The photo was shared here in a Facebook post on April 22, 2019.

Below is a screenshot of the post:

The post says, "Sinasabi ng mga grupo ng KARAPATAN na wala daw silang kaugnayan sa mga teroristang kumunusta eh ano ito paki explain. Hwag kami."

In the photo, the supposed text on the banner reads, "Kabataan mamundok at sumapi sa NPA."

KARAPATAN is an alliance of human rights groups. Here is its website. The alliance has previously been critical of President Rodrigo Duterte, including in this press release. 

The claim in the misleading Facebook post is false; the image has been doctored from an original photo in which the banner displayed an anti-fascist message.

A reverse image search on Google found the image was used in this May 26, 2017 report on Bulatlat.com.

The Bulatlat report stated that protests were held against the declaration of martial law in the southern Philippine region of Mindanao.

Below is a screenshot of the report:

In the report's lead photo, the text on the banner states: “STOP FASCIST ATTACKS AGAINST THE FILIPINO PEOPLE!”

The photo in the report is credited to Carlo Manalansan, who told AFP the image published by Bulatlat was genuine.

“The photo of Bulatlat is the correct one. I’m also a photographer-volunteer of Bulatlat so they always use my photos,” he told AFP via Facebook messenger on April 29.

“This was taken at the No to Martial Law mob in May 2017.”

The Bulatlat report was published almost two years before the doctored photo was posted on Facebook.

Manalansan also sent AFP a link to the photo, which was posted here on his own Facebook account.

Below is a screengrab of the genuine image (bottom right) on Manalansan’s Facebook page:

— AFP Philippines