FACT CHECK: Claire Castro statement on Marcos’ ‘failing’ health is fake

Claim: Palace press officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. does not have long to live after he was diagnosed with a life-threatening condition.  

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: A Facebook page named “Celeb News” posted a graphic on February 2 showing a photo collage of Marcos lying in a hospital bed and Castro speaking at a press conference. Text on the image, implied to be a statement of Castro’s, reads, “May taning na ang buhay ng presidente (The President does not have long to live).”

The post’s caption, written in Filipino, claimed that Castro’s controversial statement sparked various reactions and questions from the public. The post included a link to an article purportedly providing more details about Marcos’ condition.

The post went viral amid Marcos’ absence from the public eye, prompting speculation about his current health. As of writing, the post has garnered over 1,100 reactions, 1,300 comments, and 101 shares. 

The facts: There is no verifiable record of Castro making this statement. In fact, the undersecretary has consistently assured the public in multiple press briefings and statements that the President was in good health and is recovering well following days of medical observation.

On January 21, Marcos spent a night under medical observation at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City after experiencing discomfort. Malacañang later disclosed that he was diagnosed with diverticulitis, a common inflammatory condition of the digestive tract.

In a video statement released on January 22, Marcos himself addressed rumors about his health. “It’s not a life-threatening condition,” he said, adding, “The rumors of my death are highly exaggerated.” He attributed the condition to stress and age. (READ: After hospitalization, Marcos tells critics: Don’t be too excited just yet)

Castro echoed this position at a January 28 press briefing, stating that a medical bulletin was unnecessary because the President had already reassured the public about his health.

“Sa ating pagkakaalam po, kapag naglabas ng medical bulletin, dapat serious illness. Kung sinabi ng Pangulo na hindi ito life-threatening, so bakit kakailanganin ang medical bulletin?” she said. 

(As far as we know, a medical bulletin is released only in cases of serious illness. If the President has said that his condition is not life-threatening, why would a medical bulletin be necessary?)

She also stressed the President’s steady recovery, noting that Marcos kept working through private meetings even while recuperating.

Fake claims on Marcos’ health: Sensationalized fake claims have sprouted since Marcos’ medical condition was publicized. 

On January 28, a fabricated medical document bearing the letterhead of St. Luke’s Medical Center was shared on Facebook, purporting to show the President’s test results and a severe diagnosis. Both St. Luke’s and Malacañang publicly condemned the document as “fake and falsified.”

Rappler also debunked an AI-generated photo of Marcos allegedly lying in a hospital bed connected to a ventilator. 

The National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group have been directed to investigate the origins and circulation of these falsified documents and AI-generated images. – Cyril Bocar/Rappler.com

Efren Cyril Bocar is a journalist from Llorente, Eastern Samar who graduated with a degree in English Language Studies at the Visayas State University. Cyril is also a graduate of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship of Rappler for 2024. 

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