Duque posts proof of attending event
MANILA - A photo of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III posted on the Department of Health's Facebook page has become controversial, with netizens accusing the agency of digitally manipulating the image.
The DOH posted photos of Duque and other officials as they visited Navotas City on Tuesday.
In the event, Duque and his team handed over to the city government of Navotas donated test kits and other supplies from the national government.
Netizens, however, pointed out that the photo of Duque handing over a box to another person looked altered, with Duque's hand seemingly floating over the other person's hand.
A zoomed-in view of a portion of the DOH photo.
The color of Duque's hand and arm is different from the rest of the photo. The hand and lower arm also don't cast a shadow compared to the other person's hand.
Netizens mentioned how Duque's photo reminded them of Sen. Cynthia Villar, whose allegedly edited photos also circulated online last July.
They also criticized Duque for holding the hand of the other person despite the implementation of health protocols amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Duque, however, took to his personal Twitter account on Thursday to address the allegations by posting other photos as proof that he indeed attended the said event.
"People online are claiming that one of my photos during a coordination meeting with Cong Tiangco in Navotas City was edited," he said.
"To put an end to it, here are more photos showing that I attended the event with Cong John Rey, Sec Vince, Usec Bong, Dir Paz and the rest of my team," Duque added.
Duque, however, neither categorically confirmed nor denied whether the photo in question was digitally altered.
The photo is still posted on DOH Facebook page as of midnight Friday.
DOH, Department of Health, Francisco Duque III, DOH Duque Navotas event, DOH Duque edited photo