Sagay City teen apologizes for claiming that he had COVID-19

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – The 18-year-old senior high school student who was arrested for claiming that he was infected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) publicly apologized for his caper Tuesday morning.

In a video posted by Sagay City community journalist Jack Gallardo, the suspect identified as Argie Ligaray apologized and claimed he had no idea of his actions.

“I’m very sorry, I was only carried away by my emotions,” Ligaray said.

Ligaray also made an appeal to the public not to follow his example and avoid posting false information about the virus on social media.

Ligaray was arrested Monday by Sagay City police after posting on social media that he had contracted COVID-19.

Based on evidence presented by police, the suspect’s friends encouraged him to delete the post but he dismissed their warnings and continued to make false claims.

His posts eventually reached Sagay City’s Inter-Agency Task Force and police were ordered to arrest Ligaray.

Ligaray is currently facing charges for violation of Section 6 of Republic Act 11469 (Bayanihan to Heal as One Act of 2020) which strictly prohibits spreading false information about COVID-19.