'Wag na tayong maniwala':Palace belies rumors on Marcos' health
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro (Betheena Unite)
Malacañang has branded as mere gossip claims that President Marcos is suffering from a serious illness.
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro tagged former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque as a "fake news peddler" after he posted a photo of Marcos asking whether the bulk in the latter's outfit was a colostomy bag.
Roque even called on Castro to answer his query.
In a Palace briefing on Wednesday, Feb. 11, Castro strongly denied the claim, saying it was only meant to tarnish the reputation of the President.
"Ayon na nga po ang masama kasi mga rumors, mga tsismis, walang katotohanan na nakakapanira sa gobyerno, nakakapanira sa Pangulo na nakakaapekto sa ekonomiya (That’s what’s bad about it—these rumors, these gossips, have no truth and they damage the government, they damage the President, and they affect the economy)," Castro said.
"Kung manggagaling lamang po din kay Harry Roque na masasabi na nating isang fake news peddler, nakita naman po natin ang video, iyong kabuuan kung saan itinaas pa po mismo ng Pangulo ang kaniyang mga kamay habang siya’y kumakaway sa ating mga kababayan at kitang-kita po na ang sinasabing larawan or ipinakitang larawan ni Harry Roque ay pawang kasinungalingan lamang (If it is only coming from Harry Roque, whom we can already call a fake news peddler, we ourselves saw the video—the whole clip—where the President even raised his hands while waving to our fellow citizens, and it is very clear that the photo being claimed or shown by Harry Roque is nothing but a lie)," Castro added.
She urged the public to no longer believe such claims, and stop dignifying fake news.
"Huwag na po tayong maniwala. At nakikiusap po tayo, huwag na po nating dalhin sa anumang usapan ang mga fake news peddlers katulad nila (Let us no longer believe it. And we are appealing to everyone: let us not bring fake news peddlers like them into any discussion)," Castro said.
Roque posted a photo of the President in one his first public engagements last week after recovering from diverticulitis.