FALSE: Roque says people who are ‘pango’ will be vaccinated last

At a glance

• Claim: Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a quote card that people who are pango (flat nosed) are the last to be vaccinated.
• Rating: FALSE
• The facts: No reports or news articles can be found with the alleged quote from Roque, who also denied saying the quote on his verified Facebook page. 
• Why we fact-checked this: Several Facebook posts were spotted with the quote card through CrowdTangle.

Complete details

In a quote card with Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque’s photo, a quote attributed to him said that people who are pango (flat nosed) will be vaccinated last.

“Huli po natin babakunahan ang mga pango, kasi maliit ang posibilidad na makalanghap sila agad ng virus (People who are flat nosed will be vaccinated last because there is a small possibility that they would inhale the virus.)

The post was seen circulating on Facebook.

Facebook posts with the quote card were spotted on CrowdTangle. 

The claim is false. 

No reports or news articles can be found with the alleged quote from Roque.

Roque himself, through a post on his verified Facebook page on August 20, denied saying the quote. In his caption, he wrote, “Fake news alert!!!”

The false quote card said the August 13, 2a020 statement was made in relation to “the participation of Filipinos in clinical trials for Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine.”

The original quote card, also dated August 13, 2020, can be found on ABS-CBN News’ Facebook page. The correct quote read, “Wala pong sapilitan ‘yan. Kung sino lang po ang gusto mag-volunteer, puwedeng magpasaksak.” (No one will be forced. Only those who want to volunteer will be injected.)

The statement can also be found in an August 13, 2020 article on the ABS-CBN News website.

Rappler has fact-checked false quotes attributed to Roque before, such as the following:

• FALSE: Roque says China, Duterte to thank for PH’s Olympic gold medal
• FALSE: Roque says poor have no right to be choosy over vaccine
• FALSE: Roque quote on 10,000 COVID-19 deaths
• FALSE: Roque says Duterte receives P460 million monthly from POGOs
• FALSE: Roque warning vs GMA, TV5 on criticizing Duterte

– Percival Bueser/Rappler.com

Percival Bueser is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

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.