Wednesday, February 26, 2014

‘Mysterious Flesh-Eating Disease’ in Pangasinan a Hoax–Health Exec

Image courtesy of www.newsinfo.inquirer.net

Source: www.newsinfo.inquirer.net

The so-called “mysterious disease” in Pangasinan that is eating the flesh of its victims is no mystery at all, the provincial health officer said on Tuesday.

This as Pangasinan provincial health officer Dr. Anna De Guzman dispelled a news report that said a “flesh-eating disease” is spreading in the province.

“There is no truth to a rumor that a flesh-eating disease is spreading in the province,” De Guzman told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview.

This developed after ABS-CBN in their news program “Bandila” reported on Monday night that a “mysterious” “flesh-eating illness” (misteryosong sakit) is “slowly” (unti-unti) spreading in Pangasinan.

The report interviewed two case studies from Villasis and Santa Barbara whose skin were reported to be “decaying” (naaagnas). The reporter can be seen wearing a doctor’s protective gear and face mask.

De Guzman clarified that the first patient from Santa Barbara was a leper who suffered from an adverse reaction from a drug.

Meanwhile, the second patient from Villasis is ailed with psoriasis, the doctor added.

She said the two cases were not that of the rare necrotizing fasciitis, a serious bacterial infection that spreads rapidly and destroys the body’s soft tissue, according to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Orpheus Velasco, Pangasinan provincial information officer, said the two patients are now in the hospital for further treatment.

De Guzman said the report only connected the two case studies to a prophecy by a self-titled prophet warning of a flesh-eating disease in Pangasinan.

“Sometimes, the media attempts to exaggerate to make the news sensational… They just want to connect it to the prophecy,” she said in Filipino.

The ABS-CBN report was made amid an internet buzz that a prophecy by self-titled prophet Vincent Selvakumar of the Voice of Jesus Ministries in April 2013 said a flesh-eating disease would spread from the Ilocos province to the world.

Just hours after the Bandila report came out Monday night, the hashtag #PrayForPangasinan trended on Twitter, with netizens resorting to faith amid fears of an apocalyptic doom.

The prophet was also said to have predicted a flood that would ravage Samar and Leyte, a reference supernatural netizens said was fulfilled when Super Typhoon “Yolanda” ravaged the Central Philippines in November 2013.

72 comments:

  1. basag naman ang DOS dito. hilig kasi sa tabloid reporting. bakit hindi na lang kasi mag concentrate sa entertainment at bitawan na ng tuluyan ang news... the filipino people will be better off.

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    Replies
    1. Diyan magaling ang ABS-CBN news team, mahilig sila magsensationalize ng news.

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    2. Specialty Kasi Nila mga Nuno sa punso, Kapre, tikbalang. D ba Ate Koring?!

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    3. Kaya wag manood ng ch 2 news. Flagas inappropriate

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    4. pati news ginagawang drama kaya sensational ang pagkakasulat

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    5. what is the difference between abs-cbn's news and entertainment departments? NONE

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  2. Tsk tsk!! Irresponsible journalism!!

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  3. Bandila should be sanctioned for
    causing unnecessary panic among people

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  4. abs cbn is very consistent in reporting malicious news just to trend on social media and to gain viewers, congratulations bandila,.. IKAW NA!!

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  5. Yellow Journalism is all.

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  6. Whoever came up with that topic should be fired!! As in.. Fired!!

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  7. sira turismo ng pangasinan nyan. nagpanik agad

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  8. yung journalist na nagreport nito na halatang walang alam sa naturang sakit. ayan tuloy daming nagpanic. damay pa ang mga taga pangasinan na parang pinandidirihan lang. nakakamatay ang kamangmangan. responsible journalism naman sana.

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  9. Pangasinan LGU should sue bandila. Paano n lng ang tourism ng Pangasinan? Itsmorefuninthephilippines!!

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  10. pangalawa na ito ha, una, yung pekeng cctv video ni vhong na binubugbog.

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  11. nakakalungkot isipin na napakadaling utuin ng mga tao ngayon.
    based palang sa mga comment dun sa earlier posts about dito, kitang kita na napaka-guillible ng mga pilipino sa mga ganitong paandar.

    gumawa lang ng konting drama na may "mysterious disease" + "prophecy" panic agad. kalokohan!

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  12. Pero dapat alerto pa din ang DOH, ano na lang silbi nila kung di sila prepared. Or iniintay pa nilang may mangyari?

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  13. Ano pa nga ba ang bago dyan sa ABS. Pano nakalulusot ang ganito sa news editor nila kung wala muna ang panig ng DOH to confirm the news kung totoo nga.

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  14. para sa mga nagcomment dito about sa propeta daw eh self titled lang pala, para sa mga natakot at naninawala agad sa balita, para sa mga kumukwestyon sa issue at naniwala agad.... PLEASE VERIFY MUNA, HUWAG MAGPAKA-ECHOS AGAD NA KESYO END OF THE WORLD ETC ETC ETC. my gosh!

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  15. Hindi nmn natin masisi ang Dos, may prediction kasi na may ganung sakit sa balat na maguumpisa sa Pangasinan. Nagkataon din na meron nga, yon nga lang, di nmn nakakahawa. Hay buti nmn. Kaya dont stop praying for our country...

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  16. Oh bakit tahimik ang mga fanatic dos?? Dapat di ito pinalalampas na issue. Masyado bilib na bilib mga fans ng dos. Para lang mag trendeng kahit na di totoo sensationalize agad..

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    1. Di ba nga kahit sa mga ratings-ratings ek-ek eh bilib na bilib ang mga panatiko tapos biglang magaannounce ang network na last two weeks na lang yung serye, ayun saka iaalibi ng mga fantards na eh kasi lalaylay na ang story pag inextend pa, eh kasi ganito, ganyan blah blah blah! Pati ekonomiya ng bansa bagsak na nga pababagsakin pa sa pagbabalita nila ng sobrang exag!

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  17. Oo may pagkakamali ang abscbn pero may sarili tyong utak,dapat khit anong news ang lumabas,gamitin din natin ang utak natin,.nasa atin na un kng maniniwala tyo or makikisabay sa takot ng iba..ang hirap kc sa ibang mga tao imbes na mag aral,or palawakin ang kaalaman khit anong estado ng buhay mo eh nagpapaka-dalubhasa na lng sa pagiging t---a at gullible

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    Replies
    1. Yup. Tulad ng ABS nagpapakadalubhasa sa pagiging t---a. In fact, gusto rin nila na maging t---nga at gullible tayo.

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    2. Aral ka ng journalism ethics pag may time. Nasa category ng hard news yung misteyosong sakit kagabi.so dapat lang na makatotohanan ito. Kung gusto mo ng option para magisip ang viewer,nasa category yun ng commentary or opinion. Alamo na? Welcome.

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    3. ke naniwala ang mga tao o hindi, mali pa rin ang ginawang balita ng abs-cbn. huwag sisihin ang mga tao sa panic na sinimulan ng abs-cbn. kung hindi ba naman iyon ang intensyon ng abs-cbn, bakit ganoon na lang ang pagkakasulat ng balita na iyon?

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  18. Style ng ABS: one-sided report at patingi-tingi. Ang importante mauna sila at makascoop kahit na kulang kulang at makakasama pa. No wonder Maria Ressa left.

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  19. Hmm? I think you're trying to cover something up? Because you don't want people to panic.

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  20. Can the people of Pangasinan sue ABS_CBN News for causing panic, stress and turmoil?

    #justasking

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    Replies
    1. nope sila ang nagpanic dahil hindi nila pnakinggang mabuti ung balita.

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    2. Sensationalized Journalism kasi, pero they cause PANIC! sana they become responsible next time! Yan yata yung tawag nila na "KURYENTE".... Sana they should learn their lesson, na makakuha lang ng scoop,di na nila sinasaalang alang if they can cause panic!

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    3. hindi sila nakuryente. ang nangyari, hindi nila ginamit ang isip nila. they're news people tapos gusto nilang maisip ng mga tao na may nangyayari sa pangasinan na prinedict ng indian prophet? wala man lang attempt to explain the "news tip" they received using a scientific point of view? kuwentong kutserong pagbabalita naman ito. dapat ma-nominate sila sa best gag show category, hindi sa best news program category.

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  21. Walang dala! Ilang beses na pumalpak di pa rin nagiingat sa pagrereport. Someone should be fired for this!

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  22. ♫Wonk wonk wowowowowownk.♫

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  23. Lesson learned: wag basta basta maniwala sa news, lalo na pag galing sa DOS. LOL!!!

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  24. #PrayForPangasinan for what? We should instead pray for this generation for believing everything they read over the net. #PrayForABSCBNNews

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  25. hahahaha//again again again abiascbn!! u never learn!!

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  26. #PRAYFORABSCBNNEWS!! HAHAHA

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  27. I watched the bandila last night, hindi nmn sinabi sa report na connected ito sa prophecy ek-ek. Sabi lng dun, mysterious daw ang sakit kc sa interview nung girl may lumalabas na uod at langgam daw sa katawan nya. When i open my twitter dun ko lng nalaman na may prophecy pla tungkol dito.

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  28. Oh gosh nakakahiya napa panood pa naman sa buong mundo ang tfc! Be responsible naman abs cbn

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  29. ABS-CBN should be made accountable for the havoc it brings because of an irresponsible reporting. Creating mass hysteria

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  30. - ABS-CBN Bandila - irresponsable. Pangasinan relies heavily on toursim and its products. Causing panic like this can badly hurt the industry. Milyong Pilipino din ang umaasa at nakikinabang sa turismo.

    - May bibili pa ba ng tupig at bagoong ngayon? Titigil pa ba mga turista sa Bagsakan Market sa Villasis? - Paano na ang Bangus Festival next month?

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  31. The mother of the patient said that the doctors have diff diagnoses, hanggang sa hindi na nila alam ang sasabihin nila. So, ang may kasalanan dito ay yong ina.

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    Replies
    1. siya po ung pinagamot ng gma dati s st. lukes kzo huminto sila.s gamuntan. d nten alam nk scripted or twisted n ung mga sinabi nila

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    2. Nice try, but NO. ABS-CBN has the heaviest portion of the blame in this fiasco. No other way around it.

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    3. dapat investigate dn. indi ung galing s isang bibig lng sila mag base

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    4. I agree kasi napanood ko yun, yung mother ang iniinterview nila hindi na kasalanan ng reporter yun binalita lang nila kung ano ang sinabe nung mother and besides kung hindi binalita ng bandila yun mapapansin ba ulit sila at mapapagamot ng libre.

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    5. hindi iyong ina ang may kasalanan. iyong nagbalita ang dapat sisihin dahil hindi siya nag-leg work, pinaniwalaan na lang basta ang sinabi nung nanay. wala bang sariling isip iyong reporter? kung sinabi ba ng nanay na sinapian ng demonyo iyong anak niya, maniniwala na lang basta iyong reporter without verifying? hay. bagay na bagay magtrabaho si 11:37 sa abs-cbn news. kakaiba mag-isip at mangatwiran. at si 1:25 naman, nag-agree. you guys are so funny. dapat i-reimburse niyo ang mga magulang niyo sa pagpapaaral sa inyo dahil sinayang niyo lang.

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  32. kami dito sa pangasinan parang wala lang tapos kayo dyan at sa ibang parte ng pinas, panic level na. grabe

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  33. ohh, sino ngayon ang worst network!!!

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  34. #PRAYFORRESPONSIBLEJOURNALISM

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  35. Sino ba ang nagpapanic? wala ako kilalang nagpanic. Sa opisina, sa fb, sa neighborhood..wala.

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    Replies
    1. ok k lng? dito s canada nag woworry ang Filipino community. nag create sila ng takot s mga tao

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    2. mabuti na lang walang nag-panic. walang naniwala sa katangahang ikinalat ng abs news.

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  36. Yung isa may ketong lang daw na nagka impeksyon, yung isa naman may psoriasis daw sabi nung doctor. Na connect ka agad sa kung saan saan! Kaya di tayo umaasenso kasi kung ano ano pinaniniwalaan natin! KALOKA!

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  37. #PRAYFORRESPONSIBLEANDTRUTHFULREPORTING WALA TAALAGA LAHAT NG ABS KAY JESSICA SOHO

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  38. Heads must roll. NakAkahiya! Fire whoever needs to be fired!

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  39. karma. un lang. major2.

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  40. ABS should pirate Jessica Soho

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  41. Hindi nman kasalanan ng bandila yun nanood ako nung monday ang iniinterview nila ay yung mother nung victim na ang sinasabe ay kung saan saan na sila gling at kung ano ano ng gamot ang nireseta pero wala pa rin magawa kaya siguro dinepende ng reporter yung nireport nila sa bandila dun sa sinabe nung mother nung victim.

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  42. Good news lang dito ay un dalawang me sakit eh inasikaso na. Kung di dahil dun kawawa un 2 mamamatay na lang ng walang tutulong.

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  43. Nakakainis ang Bandila. Taga Pangasinan ako. Muntik na kami pandirian dun ah! Si Julius Babao pa ang nagreport. E dito yan sa Pangasinan lumaki. Graduate siya ng alma mater ko nung high school siya. Proud pa man din kami sa kanya sa Dominican. Disappointing!

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  44. humingi ba ng apology ang DOS sa tabloid news na pinakalat nila? i think not and they will never will. confident sila sa mga internet trolls nila na ipagtatanggol sila.

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  45. In terms of sensationalizing news and pag gawa ng drama, ABSCBN yan. Pero kung News and Current Affairs na totoo, balance at nag reresearch talaga plus a world class documentaries, go for GMA! Kaya nga lagi nasa NY Festival sila eh.

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