Poe bill vs. spreading of fake news presumed unconstitutional —Roque

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Saturday hit Senator Grace Poe's bill seeking to prohibit government officials from peddling "fake news."

"Presumed unconstitutional as content based restriction," Roque said in a statement.

Also he said that the bill is "...infirmed for violative of equal protection clause as no basis for singling out govt employees." 

Poe, chairman of Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, filed on Friday Senate Bill No. 1680 that seeks to amend Sections 4(b) and 7 of Republic Act No. 6713 otherwise known as the "Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards from Public Officials and Employees." 

Under the proposed measure, public officials and employees of government agencies, instrumentalities, offices and departments, especially those tasked to disseminate information or news, are barred from publishing, disseminating or causing to publish or disseminate false news or information. —John Ted Cordero/LBG, GMA News