FACT CHECK: Heart Evangelista not in critical condition because of Chiz Escudero

Reports circulating online have claimed that actress and fashion icon Heart Evangelista is in critical condition in a hospital, allegedly due to physical abuse from her husband, Senate President Chiz Escudero. We've looked into this widely shared post, and the claim is false.

The specific post, dated June 7, used the caption "Heart Evangelista agaw-buhay sa ospital dahil kay Chiz Escudero" (Heart Evangelista in critical condition because of Chiz Escudero). It featured a casual photo of the couple alongside a disturbing, seemingly edited image showing Evangelista with bruises and blood on her face, and text that translated to "He beat me so that I'd have a miscarriage."

However, the reality is far from this alarming claim. Heart Evangelista is not in critical condition. In fact, she recently made headlines on June 8 as the newest house guest to enter the Pinoy Big Brother House.

Upon closer inspection, the photo depicting Evangelista with injuries is clearly manipulated. It was taken from a vlog she shared previously about married life. The original scene shows her getting emotional and crying while recounting a personal moment involving baking cookies, not suffering from physical abuse.

While Evangelista has openly shared about being hospitalized in the past, these instances were related to miscarriages she unfortunately experienced. In 2021, she posted a photo with Escudero in the hospital, describing it as a difficult time when she lost her twin children years prior to that post.

The timing of this false claim is notable, appearing amid public criticism directed at Senate President Escudero. He has been facing questions regarding delays in convening the Senate to potentially sit as an impeachment court for Vice President Sara Duterte.

Escudero himself has commented on the constitutional phrasing regarding the commencement of such proceedings. Although he had previously indicated the impeachment trial would proceed when the Senate session resumed on June 2, recent statements and the President's stated opposition have created uncertainty about its path forward.