FALSE: Bam Aquino says subways can be prone to floods

Claim:

Former senator Bam Aquino expressed concern over the construction of a subway due to its proneness to floods.

This claim was sent by a Rappler reader for verification.

Rating: FALSE

The facts:

Aquino did not say this. The former senator refuted this claim as early as 2019.

The photo in the claim contained a supposed quote attributed to Aquino, saying, “Hindi po ba nag-iisip ang administrasyon ngayon? Gagawa ng subway sa ilalim ng lupa, paano kung biglang bumaha?“

(Is the administration not thinking? A subway will be constructed underground, what will happen if it suddenly floods?)

Rappler found posts containing this claim dating back to March 2019. The claim started circulating again in September 2020.

In March 2019, Aquino already posted a response to the claim, labeling it as a fake quote.

Rappler also found no reports or recordings that prove he said this.

This claim was also fact-checked by Vera Files. It said the quote originated from Balitanga News Philippines, a “satirical and fictional” page. However, the photo has since been reposted multiple times in a non-satirical manner.

Rappler often debunks fake quotes attributed to public figures, such as Vice President Leni Robredo, former senator Antonio Trillanes, and Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, among others. – Loreben Tuquero/Rappler.com

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