FACT CHECK: Marcos does not have cancer, says Palace

Claim: President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has been diagnosed with cancer. 

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: Two YouTube videos bearing the claim were uploaded on separate channels. 

On February 1, the channel “News Update Files” uploaded a video titled “Marcos Jr., may stage 4 cancer na? Doctor, nagsalita na! Umaming hindi na magagamot si Marcos Jr.?“

(Marcos Jr has stage 4 cancer? His doctor has spoken! Admits that Marcos can’t be cured anymore?)

Meanwhile, the second video was uploaded by “Pinas News Portal” on February 3. Text on its thumbnail reads, “Stage 4 cancer na! Doctor ni Marcos Jr., nagsalita na! Wala ng gamot kay Marcos Jr?”

(Stage 4 cancer already! Marcos’ doctor spoke out! No cure for Marcos Jr?)

Both videos feature political commentary from Duterte-aligned channels Coach Oli and PH Update. The videos surfaced amid ongoing public discussion about Marcos’ hospitalization last January for diverticulitis.

As of writing, both videos have garnered over 106,000 views and 6,600 likes.

The facts: Marcos does not have cancer. On February 11, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro dismissed these rumors as “fake news.” This was in response to a photo posted by former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque questioning whether Marcos had colon cancer, citing an alleged colostomy bag supposedly visible through the President’s clothing during a recent public engagement.

“Ayun na nga po ang masama, kasi mga rumors, mga tsismis, walang katotohanan na nakakapanira sa gobyerno, nakakapanira sa Pangulo na nakakaapekto sa ekonomiya,” Castro said.

(What’s bad about this is that these rumors and gossip are baseless, and they damage the government, the President, and affect the economy.)

Diverticulitis, not cancer: Marcos was hospitalized on January 21 and diagnosed with diverticulitis, an inflammatory condition of the digestive tract caused by inflamed or infected pouches in the intestinal wall. In a video statement on January 22, he said it was “not a life-threatening condition” and attributed it to “stress and aging.”

In a February 1 vlog update, Marcos said the doctor’s assessment was “good, nothing serious.” 

“Ako naman, eto, nagre-recover na rin. Pero maganda ang assessment ng mga doktor, nothing serious. Kailangan lang magpalakas ulit,” the President said. 

(As for me, I’m recovering. The doctors gave me a positive assessment, nothing serious. I just need to regain my strength.)

He also explained that he lost weight due to being on a soft diet for several days. 

Fake health claims: The President has been the subject of multiple health-related false claims since his hospitalization. 

These include fabricated AI-generated images showing him on a ventilator, a fake medical document claiming a severe diagnosis, and unsubstantiated allegations linking his diverticulitis to cocaine use.

The National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group have been tasked to investigate the sources of this disinformation.

After earlier taking a brief rest from public engagements, Marcos has returned to Malacañang and resumed his official duties, including the approval of 21 priority bills during the third full meeting of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council of the 20th Congress, held at Malacañang. – 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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