NBI probing some mainstream media for 'creating disturbance, possible sedition'

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Jaime Santiago on Tuesday said they are looking into some members of the mainstream media who are allegedly inciting the public to sedition.

“Meron tayong iniimbestigahan na kasama natin, legal, legitimate na media men, pero lumalampas na siya sa parameters,” Santiago said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

(We are probing legitimate media men who are exceeding their parameters.)

“‘Yung nag ke-create na sila ng disturbance, nag aangkit na sila na ang tao ay mag commit ng sedition. Ganon po. Lampas na 'ho,” he said.

(They are creating a disturbance; they are urging people to commit sedition, things like that. It’s too much.)

Santiago, however, did not say how many were being investigated.

But he said these mainstream media members seem to have gone overboard with their comments and have abused their freedom of speech and expression.

“Halimbawa… sinabi mo ay mali naman si direktor diyan. Dapat ganito, dapat ganito. Okay lang po ‘yun, komentaryo niyo ‘yun. ‘Yun ang inyong naiisip na tama,” he said.

(For example… you said that the director is wrong. He should have done this and that. That’s okay, that’s your commentary. That’s what you think is right.)

“Pero ‘yung humantong na sa pinagmumura niyo na ako, kung ano-ano na ‘yung pinagsasabi niyo sa akin, ay lampas na po ‘yun sa parameters ng batas,” Santiago explained.

(But if you are already cursing out someone, and you keep saying nonsense, then you are already going beyond the parameters of the law.)

Santiago's statement comes a day after the NBI said it is looking into at least 20 vloggers who are spreading fake news in the country.

“Pinag-aaralan naming mabuti kung bakit gano'n ang tema ng mga vloggers natin ngayon. Meron bang namumuno sa kanila? Tinitignan po namin 'yan,” Santiago said on Monday.

(We are looking into why these are the themes of vloggers now. Is there someone behind them? We are looking into that.)

“Lahat na. Lahat na. Pati ‘yung paninira nila sa mga government officials. Kung anu-ano ‘yung sinasabi nilang balita na hindi namin totoo,” added Santiago.

(Everything. Even the bashing against government officials. They post news reports that are not true at all.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News