A day after a Philippine Air Force (PAF) helicopter crashed in Bohol, a Facebook (FB) user published on April 28 a false post claiming one of the victims had to wait in an ambulance until Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go arrived.
Not true.
The erroneous FB post featured two images which bore the caption: “PAF helicopter crash victim in Bohol had to wait for Bong Go because he told them that he would ‘assist’ the victim.”
The senator did not cause any delay in transporting the crash victims, said the People’s Television Network in an FB post on April 29, based on a statement from Col. Antonio Francisco, chief of command staff of the PAF’s Air Mobility Command, who was with Go at the time.
“Wala naman aniyang naantala sa operasyon (The operation, he said, was not stalled),” the state broadcaster quoted Francisco as saying. The military officer said Go was about to board his plane when he was informed that an ambulance carrying victims of the chopper crash was in the area, so he ran to see them.
Go was in Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu province as a guest speaker for the 500th anniversary of the Victory of Mactan.
One person died while three were hurt in the helicopter mishap in Bohol which happened during an engineering flight on the morning of April 27. The survivors were taken to Cebu and are reportedly now out of danger.
The Office of Sen. Go said the senator has extended assistance to the family of the deceased pilot and to the survivors.
Another FB page, R E S I B O, also posted a screenshot of the same false post. Collectively, the two posts obtained over 3,000 shares, 3,700 reactions and 420 comments.
(Editor’s Note: VERA Files has partnered with Facebook to fight the spread of disinformation. Find out more about this partnership and our methodology.)
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