PNP ‘cyber patrolling’ social media to combat COVID-19 fake news

The Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Cybercrime Group was “cyber patrolling” social media in a bid to combat the spread of disinformation on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, the PNP spokesperson said Sunday.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, Brigadier General Bernard Banac said they had identified six fake online accounts that were spreading fake news about the COVID-19.

“[May] mga pseudo names nga at hindi talaga mga tunay na mga identification ng mga tao, so talagang may intention na magpakalat lang talaga ng pananakot at ito ‘yung gusto natin tigilan,” he said.

Banac warned that suspects who would be caught spreading fake news online could be jailed for six months up to 10 years.

“Tinutukoy na ngayon kung saan ito nanggaling, sino ang gumawa, at kapag mahuli natin ang mga ‘to ay papanagutin natin sa batas… Kaya hindi biro ang pagpapakalat ng fake news.”

Banac said the PNP was also working with social networking sites such as Facebook to identify sources of disinformation.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año earlier ordered the PNP to arrest people spreading fake news about the COVID-19 online. 

“Maging mapanuri, maging mapagmatiyag, at alamin muna bago magpasa-pasa ng mga posts online. Tukuyin muna natin kung galing ba sa mga reliable source, mga official pronouncements ba ang mga 'yan, bago natin ipasa,” Banac advised. — Julia Mari Ornedo/DVM, GMA News