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‘Mysterious disease’ ABS-CBN 2’s late-night newscast Bandila released a two-part report on an alleged “flesh-eating” disease that was “slowly spreading” in the province of Pangasinan. The first of a two- part ABS-CBN special report tagged #MisteryosongSakitsaBandila aired 24 February 2014 reported two cases of people with supposedly ‘mysterious’ (misteryoso) “skin and flesh-eating” diseases. Bandila’s anchor Julius Babao in his spiel prior to the report proper said, “Isang misteryosong sakit ang unti-unting kumakalat ngayon sa Pangasinan, isang sakit na tila umano’y kumakain ng balat at laman ng tao … (A mysterious disease is slowly spreading in Pangasinan, a disease allegedly eating people’s skin and flesh)”
Bandila reporter Jasmin Romero was shown wearing medical scrubs, mask and gloves while interviewing two patients from the town of Sta Barbara and Villasis, Pangasinan. According to the report, doctors could not tell what the patients’ ailments were. Family members of the patients were interviewed. A medical official was also interviewed about the condition of a patient from Villasis town, who, among other statements, said the patient’s ailment was not psoriasis. After the report, the news anchor said: “Ano nga ba ang sakit na ito, at may kaugnayan nga ba ito sa isang propesiya? Ano nga ba ang masasabi ng mga doktor dito at maging ang simbahang Katolika? Abangan bukas ang part two ng special report ni Jasmin Romero dito lamang sa Bandila.” Hours after the report was aired, Netizens began sharing pictures of different bacterial skin diseases on Facebook, and the issue soon trended on Twitter. Some Netizens connected the report to a so-called “prophecy” by a self-proclaimed Indian prophet from the Voice of Jesus Ministry last April 2013, who said that a flesh-eating disease will originate from Pangasinan and will spread around the world. The same “prophet” was said to have predicted that a typhoon would devastate Samar and Leyte, which some Netizens interpreted as having been validated by super typhoon Yolanda’s smashing into the Visayas last November. Videos of the said “prophecy” had begun to surface over YouTube last year after typhoon Yolanda hit. The Department of Health (DOH) later said that the report was a hoax. The provincial health officer and the Secretary of Health said that the two patients do not have a mysterious disease, and that one has psoriasis, while the other has leprosy. Health Undersecretary Teodoro Herbosa added that “responsible journalism is important” so as not to spread panic.
Part two of the Bandila special report was supposed to connect the story to the “prophecy,” with interviews from medical experts and religious organizations on the coming of the “flesh-eating disease.” But it was never aired, apparently because of the DOH disclaimer. Bandila anchor Julius Babao on February 25 claimed that the program did not mean to scare the public, but was just reporting. They later issued on February 27 a statement apologizing for “the unintended fear and panic” its story caused. Its statement follows: “Humihingi po ng paumanhin kung ang ulat naming tungkol sa dalawang magkaibang kasong sakit sa balat ay nagdulot ng takot o pangamba lalo na sa lalawigan ng Pangasinan. Iniimbestigahan na ngayon ng ABS-CBN Office of the Network Ombudsman [ONO] ang mga pangyayari sa naturang ulat [Bandila apologizes for the unintended fear and panic caused by its report on the cases of skin diseases in two towns in Pangasinan. In accordance with internal standard procedures, ABS-CBN’s Office of the Network Ombudsman is currently investigating the circumstances that led to the airing of the report. ABS-CBN News will take the appropriate actions based on the findings of the Network Ombudsman].” |
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