MANILA - Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque threatened on Tuesday to file charges over the proliferation of false reports attributed to him.

Roque said he would seek an investigation into the proliferation of a quote card which attributed a false statement downplaying the COVID-19 pandemic, to him.

"Iyong mga magkakalat ng fake news, sasampolan ko po kayo. Paimbestigahan ko kayo at ako po ay magsasampa ng kaso, antayin ninyo po iyan," Roque, a lawyer, said during a Palace press briefing.

(To those who are spreading fake news, I will show you. I will have you investigated and I will file charges against you. Wait for it.)

The Palace spokesperson was referring to a manipulated Manila Bulletin quote card with the statement: "Covid lang yan, kunti lang namamatay, kahit umabot pa ng 10 million ang infected sa Pinas, walang mawawala sa atin, siguro 10 thousand lang ang patay. Be thankful instead, kasi ang Pangulo natin ay hindi nahahawaan. Kaya blessed pa rin tayo."

"Hindi ko po sinabi iyon. Ang sinabi ko po ay ibang-iba ‘no. At mag-ingat po tayo sa mga fake news," Roque said.

(I did not say that. What I said was totally different. Be careful with fake news.)

Manila Bulletin has also disowned the manipulated quote card.