On January 7, presidential candidate Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr., opted not to attend the video conference hearing for the disqualification cases filed against him at the Commission on Election (COMELEC) and claimed that he was feeling unwell.
Marcos’s camp presented a medical certificate from January 6, 2021, with the timestamp of 10:00 am and diagnosis of ‘painfully congested throat’ as an explanation for the politician’s absence.
However, on January 9, netizens uploaded videos on social media showing the presidential candidate in one of his two radio interviews on January 6, a few hours after his 10:00 am medical consultation.
As indicated in his medical certificate, he was not feeling well on January 6, 10:00AM so he cannot attend the virtual COMELEC hearing the next day.
But he had a live virtual interview hours after 10:00AM of January 6. pic.twitter.com/6Hlm5IKRTa
— jp✖️ plus why (@dumidyeypee) January 9, 2022
A netizen cited the timestamp of the comment section for the live-streamed interview as an indication that Marcos attended the zoom conference for the radio program on January 6.
https://twitter.com/ohitsmiko/status/1480094647015784448
Another netizen compared her encounter with a malingering subordinate to Marcos’s current situation.
I terminated someone on my team once na nag-sick leave, pero nag-Boracay. Bumalik ng may tan at fake med cert. Boyfriend leaked pics.
She was dismissed for LYING and FALSIFYING DOCS. If I can’t trust her to tell the truth re: small things; how can I trust her with big tasks? https://t.co/Y9H9JHYep5
— Mona Magno-Veluz (@mightymagulang) January 9, 2022
One netizen called the attention of COMELEC Commissioner Rowena Guanzon and presented screenshots of the medical certificate and the live-streamed interview.
Dear @rowena_guanzon @COMELEC @jabjimenez, MAY NAGSINUNGALING! Sabi ng doctor nya, may sakit na daw sya as of 10am Jan 6, but here comes a live interview on @dzme_1530khz at around 4pm of Jan 6. May sakit nga ba? #MarcosSinungaling pic.twitter.com/TcermfRIgi
— Sundae 💕 (@sundaemaroon) January 9, 2022
Guanzon was compelled to require the doctor who examined Marcos to notarize the medical certificate with his medical license number.
Now I have to rewuire the doctor who examined Marcos Jr to have his medical cert notarized and indicate his medical license number. https://t.co/Z7wuhyO5KE
— Rowena Guanzon (@rowena_guanzon) January 9, 2022
Guanzon also released her statement on January 7, questioning why Marcos couldn’t attend the hearing despite the availability of virtual conferencing apps.
— Rowena Guanzon (@rowena_guanzon) January 7, 2022
Other netizens noted that the doctor who issued the medical certificate should face sanctions if the pieces of information provided on the document were false.
https://twitter.com/ElginReiMD/status/1480050433129590795
The doctor who certified DiktJr's med cert should be SANCTIONED and cited in contempt, also held professionally liable.
Ang tanda mo ng doktor, sinungaling ka din pala?
— Josh (@joshquising) January 9, 2022
Earlier, Atty. Victor D. Rodriguez released a statement refuting the ‘disinformation’ regarding Marcos’s absence during the hearing.
He explained that the doctor ‘instructed’ the politician to take a midday rest. However, Marcos attended the radio interview via zoom, which his camp claims ‘exacerbated’ the presidential aspirant’s condition resulting in his absence on January 7.
One netizen scrutinized the statement, citing that the ‘manifestation’ made by his counsel before the COMELEC was a lie.
Not gonna fly, dear.
It means the judgment to "let BBM continue with his needed rest" was made by the lawyers. Not the doctor.
So the manifestation made by his counsel, before the COMELEC, was an outright lie. https://t.co/9BN2WyvSUI
— Nico Quejano (@nicoquejano) January 9, 2022
Throughout his run, netizens have refuted Marcos’s claims in the past.
Some examples are his claims of spearheading the project for Bangui Bay Wind Farm and his Oxford graduate status despite having only a ‘special’ diploma.
