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| - SUMMARY
This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
Claim: On July 2, 2024, an Indian-made BrahMos missile exploded at a launch site in the Philippines, killing seven Philippine Navy personnel.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: The claim was made in a July 18 Facebook post which has garnered 910 reactions, 190 comments, and 273 shares as of writing. The Facebook post contains a screenshot of an X (formerly Twitter) post detailing the supposed incident. As of writing, the X post has 138 replies, 141 reposts, 287 likes, and 22 bookmarks.
The caption of the Facebook post states: “Bakit hindi naibalita ito sa mainstream media? (Why was this not reported in the mainstream media?) Is this the reason why the military generals walked out? Seven people died?!?!?”
The facts: There are no reports from reputable sources regarding the supposed explosion. The Philippines’ Department of National Defense, the Philippine Navy, and BrahMos Aerospace, the manufacturer of BrahMos missiles, have not released any statements regarding the supposed incident.
The India-based Digital Forensics, Research and Analytics Centre (D-FRAC) debunked the claim in a series of posts on its X account on July 14.
“On investigation, we find the claim is fake. There have been no media reports of a BrahMos missile explosion in the Philippines, neither from Indian nor Filipino sources,” D-FRAC said, noting that the viral claim was shared by Pakistani accounts.
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About BrahMos: According to the BrahMos Aerospace website, the BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile is a “two-stage” missile with a flight range of up to 290 kilometers with supersonic speed. It can be launched from land, ship, or fighter aircraft.
The missiles arrived in the Philippines in April 2024, following a $370-million contract finalized by Philippine and Indian officials in 2022 to purchase the anti-ship missile system. (EXPLAINER: Philippines to finally get India-made BrahMos missiles – what does it mean?)
Military walkout: The Facebook post theorizes that the alleged explosion was why Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) generals supposedly walked out of a conference with a top government official. This was referenced in a July 12 episode of DZRH’s Damdaming Bayan, in which radio host Deo Macalma cited an anonymous source for the claim.
The supposed walk-out during a command conference attended by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has since been denied by AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla. – Katarina Ruflo/Rappler.com
Katarina Ruflo is a Rappler intern. She is currently pursuing a degree in Political Science with a major in International Relations and Foreign Service at the University of San Carlos, Cebu.
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