Fact Check: Are protests being conducted in the Philippines due to the COVID-19 lockdown?

Claim: Protests are taking place in the Philippines due to COVID-19 lockdown

ALSO READ| Fact Check: Did 7 Children Die In Senegal Due To COVID-19 Vaccine?

What is the rumour about?

• The images and videos that are being circulated on social media show that protests are taking place in the Philippines currently due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
• Images show groups like Anakbayan and Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) from the Philippines who are seen protesting in Manila, Phillippines. These protests are said to be carried out due to the Coronavirus lockdown which has now been extended. 
• Some videos also show the police arresting and dispersing people who are protesting on the streets after the government announced lockdown post the Coronavirus outbreak. 

Image courtesy: Facebook

Image courtesy: Facebook

ALSO READ| Fact Check: Is Tiger King Positive For Coronavirus? Did He Contract The Virus In Prison?

Image courtesy: Facebook

Image courtesy: Twitter

ALSO READ| Fact Check: Do Kalonji Seeds Contain Hydroxychloroquine Used To Treat Coronavirus?

Google Trends 

After an analysis of the Google Trends with respect to the people protesting in the Phillippines due to Coronavirus lockdown, one can see that the people have been hugely interested to know about the same. The maximum number of searches have been done on April 13, 2020. 

Image courtesy: Google Trends 

ALSO READ| FACT CHECK: Is Video Showing South Africans Looting Shops During COVID-19 Lockdown True?

Rating: False

Republic World did a fact check

• Republic World did a fact check on the "protests in Phillippines due to COVID-19 lockdown" rumour and the claims were found to be False.
• These photos are actually from the protests done by the groups in the Philippines on February 4, 2020. The protests were carried out in February which is almost a month before the lockdown was imposed in the Philippines. So the photos have no relation to the current scenario in the country. 
• The photos were circulated in the media before the Philippines imposed a lockdown on the main island. 
• Group members in the Philippines took to the streets on February 4 to condemn the slow action of the government with regards to the coronavirus outbreak. They staged protests in front of PGH (Philippine General Hospital) in Manila on February 4, 2020. 

Image courtesy: Facebook

• Even a Phillipino publication named Abante Tonite shared the post with similar photos on February 4, 2020. 
• A day before the militant groups protested in February, President Duterte had actually mentioned that the situation of Coronavirus in the Philippines is under control. However, currently, the country is facing many difficulties managing the outbreak.  

ALSO READ| Fact Check: Did Kathleen O’Mara Actually Write A Pandemic Poem In 1919?

Is there any rumour you want Republic World to do a fact check on? Do you have facts about a rumour? Share your pictures or videos with Republic World on contact@republicworld.com or comment on this story itself. 

ALSO READ| Fact Check: Did NASA Issue An Alert About The Earthquake In Delhi Beforehand?

ALSO READ| Fact Check: Are Beijing And Shanghai In China Not Affected By The Coronavirus Outbreak?