Manila: Malacañang has condemned the circulation of a fabricated medical report falsely attributed to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., warning that the document being shared online is fake and malicious. In a statement late Wednesday, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said the alleged medical document did not come from any legitimate examination and does not reflect the President's actual health condition. According to Philippines News Agency, the Palace stated that Marcos remains well, fully capable of discharging his official responsibilities, and continues to actively perform his duties. The deliberate spread of falsified medical information is deemed irresponsible and deceptive, violating the President's right to privacy, as it unnecessarily alarms the public and undermines trust in institutions. The Palace urged the public to rely only on official statements from authorized government sources and to refrain from sharing unverified content, adding that legal options are being reviewed regard ing the circulation of fabricated documents. St. Luke's Medical Center separately issued a public advisory stating that the medical test results circulating online and on social media claiming to pertain to Marcos are "fake and falsified," stressing that medical records are released only to patients through authorized hospital channels. The President spent a night under medical observation last week after experiencing discomfort and was later diagnosed with diverticulitis, an inflammation of small pouches in the colon. Marcos has stated the condition is not life-threatening and has since reassured the public that he is feeling better. While he has skipped several public events outside Malacañang on doctors' advice to "slow down," Marcos has continued to attend meetings and hold private engagements, including a recent Economic Development Council meeting and the oath-taking of the new Philippine National Police chief. Malacañang earlier said it would not release a medical bulletin of the President, arguing t hat the same is only needed in the case of a life-threatening illness. Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V of La Union emphasized that the issue was not about health, but about the deliberate spread of false information. "This is not a health issue. This is a disinformation issue. An independent medical institution has already confirmed the documents are fake. We respect and rely on that statement," Ortega said. Ortega also warned against attempts to pressure public officials into disclosing private health information, noting that patient confidentiality is protected by law and hospital policy. "The President respects patient confidentiality and data privacy. That principle applies to everyone. No one should be pushed into violating privacy laws just to feed rumors," he said. In its advisory, St. Luke's reiterated its strict observance of confidentiality and data privacy, stressing that medical results are released only through official channels. The hospital further warned that any medical documents circulated outside these channels are considered unauthorized and fraudulent. St. Luke's also reminded the public that sharing unverified medical information could carry legal consequences. "The public is strongly urged to exercise caution and responsibility in sharing unverified and unofficial information, particularly alleged medical results, as doing so may contribute to the spread of false information and may expose individuals to legal consequences," the advisory said. Ortega echoed the hospital's call for caution, urging the public to be responsible in sharing information online. "Fake documents do not deserve airtime. Spreading falsified material is irresponsible and only undermines public discourse," he said. The House leader said the controversy should end with the hospital's categorical denial. "There is nothing further to clarify beyond that," Ortega said.
