FACT CHECK: Negros Oriental governor not rushed to hospital
Claim: Negros Oriental governor Manuel “Chaco” Sagarbarria was rushed to the hospital with a 50% chance of survival after he suffered a heart attack.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: The false claim was posted by a Facebook page called “Katawhan sa Dumaguete,” which has 88,000 followers. The post has garnered 1,000 reactions, 821 shares, and 40 comments as of writing.
Posted on May 11, the supposed news report says: “Breaking news: Chaco Sagarbarria 50-50 nga gidala sa balay tambalanan human kini gi ataki sa kasing kasing karong gabiuna sa may takna alas 11:32PM. Basi sa naglibot nga kasilinganan, ingon nga gi ataki daw kuno si Chaco tungod sa tension sa pinili ay nga gikatakna ugmang adlawa Mayo 12, 2025.”
(Breaking news: Chaco Sagarbarria has a 50-50 chance of survival and was brought to the hospital, after he suffered a heart attack tonight at 11:32 pm. According to the governor’s neighbors, Chaco’s heart attack was caused by the tensions during the election scheduled on May 12, 2025.)
The photo attached to the post shows an ambulance with a crowd gathered around it and the headline which reiterates what was stated in the caption.
The facts: Sagarbarria debunked the claim by going live on Facebook the same night the false post went viral, looking visibly alert and conscious.
“Nag-live gyud ko kay ang ‘Katawhan’ page nag-post ug fake news,” he said in the livestream. “Okay ra gyud kaayo inyohang gobernador, gapa-relax relax ra jud ko diri.”
(I went live on Facebook because the “Katawhan” page posted fake news. Your governor is all right, I’m just relaxing here.)
Negros Oriental’s provincial government also shared a news report on Facebook debunking the false claim.
A reverse image search of the photo used in the false post also revealed that the original, posted four years ago, showed relief goods being distributed to the residents of Tumana, Marikina hit by Typhoon Ulysses.
Negros Oriental gubernatorial race: In Negros Oriental, six candidates are running for provincial governor. Prominent candidates include Sagarbarria as incumbent governor and Henry Teves, former governor and brother of fugitive Arnie Teves.
Teves was governor of Negros Oriental from June to October 2022 only, after the Comelec annulled his proclamation as governor, and transferred votes obtained by nuisance candidate Ruel Degamo to Roel Degamo, and proclaimed the latter as the true winner of the gubernatorial race. (READ MORE: Teves steps down as Negros Oriental governor, gives way to Degamo)
The controversy ended in Roel Degamo’s assassination during the March 4 Pamplona massacre, which Arnie is being accused of masterminding. The Philippine National Police also wants Henry himself to be charged with it. (READ MORE: CIDG head wants Henry Teves included in brother’s murder cases)
Following these events, Sagarbarria rose through the ranks from board member to vice governor, and finally to governor of the province after Degamo’s vice governor, Guido Reyes, died nearly 3 months after succeeding the slain governor.
Teves and Sagarbarria used to be allies under the Nationalist People’s Coalition, but the incumbent governor and his family are now allied with Degamo’s widow in the current elections. (READ MORE: A year after Pamplona massacre, Janice Degamo says ‘justice is coming’)
Chaco’s parents, also prominent politicians, are running in the 2025 elections. Patriarch Chiquiting, who is incumbent 2nd District Representative of the province, is gunning for Dumaguete City’s mayoral seat. Maisa, Chaco’s mother and incumbent vice mayor of the same city, is seeking to fill her husband’s seat.
Previous fact-checks: The page that posted the false claim is notorious for spreading disinformation against the Sagarbarria camp. Rappler previously debunked the page’s claim that the government would not give cash aid to those who attend Duterte rallies.
Rappler has published several election-related fact checks in the run-up to the May 12 elections:
- FACT CHECK: Laguna governor, district representative not disqualified by Comelec
- FACT-CHECK: No mismatch in ACM hash code, audit report – Comelec
- FACT CHECK: No survey conducted in Cebu – Pulse Asia
- FACT CHECK: Maguindanao del Norte gubernatorial bet Teng Mangudadatu has not been disqualified
- FACT CHECK: Leaving blanks on ballot will not lead to vote manipulation
– Shay Du/Rappler.com
Shay Du 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.
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