In the grand circus of fake news, the ringleaders—the so-called “truth twisters”—always deliver a show-stopping act. Their latest headliner? A former president boldly claiming that President Bongbong Marcos signed a national budget with blank figures, as if the government were a cheap magician pulling numbers from thin air. Who falls for this? Only the gullible and those who think Excel spreadsheets are sorcery.

Sure, corruption has its sneaky ways, and some politicians are masters of subtle deception. But a blank budget? That’s like leaving the cookie jar open and expecting a child to resist. It insults not just the public’s intelligence but also the 5th graders who, frankly, know better.

Fake news peddlers, take note: if you’re going to cook up stories, at least add some seasoning of believability. Otherwise, your audience might downgrade you from “fake news” to “comedy skit rejects.”