FALSE: Bong Revilla dies of COVID-19

Claim:

Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr died due to COVID-19.

The site jeepnytv.xyz uploaded a video with a caption claiming that Revilla died of COVID-19. Meanwhile, the site iwitnesstv.blogspot.com, which redirects to landst0riest0p.xyz, uploaded another video saying Revilla died at the hospital, attributing it to GMA News.

These were flagged by Facebook Claim Check, a tool that detects dubious content on the platform. According to the tool, these links were first shared on August 19 and August 22, respectively. Facebook users also posted screenshots identical to the first video’s thumbnail to circulate the claim.

Rating: FALSE

The facts:

Revilla is still alive and in a better condition as of August 27. The videos used to perpetuate this claim were reports about his father – former senator Ramon Revilla Sr’s death.

On August 18, the younger Revilla was rushed to the hospital for COVID-19 treatment. In an update on August 24, the senator posted that the doctors had cleared him for discharge and will continue treatment at home.

On Thursday, August 27, Revilla also uploaded a video on Facebook, saying, “Sa awa po ng Panginoon, mas mabuti na po ang ating kalagayan.” (By the mercy of God, I am now in a better condition.)

In addition, the videos used for the claim were misrepresented and/or altered. The link to the video used on the site jeepnytv.xyz leads to a PTV video report on the death of Ramon Revilla Sr on June 26.

Meanwhile, the video on landst0riest0p.xyz leads to a 12-second video that cut and manipulated a GMA video to make it seem that it was about Revilla Jr’s death. However, the original GMA video was also a report on the death of Revilla Sr.

Revilla Sr died on June 26 at the age of 93, due to heart failure.

The YouTube channel that uploaded the altered video, which is named TV PATROL, has posted other death hoaxes in the past. The actual TV Patrol episodes are uploaded on the official ABS-CBN News channel.

Rappler has debunked other death hoaxes such as those of celebrities Ogie Alcasid, Michael V, and Bela Padilla. These claims are commonly perpetuated by websites that use manipulated or misrepresented videos that prompt a user to share the link before watching the full video. – Loreben Tuquero/Rappler.com

Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.