GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar called on residents here to help fight “disinformation” as the campaign period for the May 13 elections goes to the final stretch.
In a press conference here Tuesday, Andanar urged social media users and even the media to be more circumspect when sharing information–especially those that are “clearly products of black propaganda”.
Andanar said PCOO’s “Dismiss Disinformation” campaign seeks to combat fake news and the spread of false and misleading information in the communities.
The campaign against fake news, he said, has never been more vital than during the election season, pointing out that the country needs to have “credible elections or electoral system as it is one of the foundations of a strong democracy”.
Andanar said an electoral system is credible “when the principles of clean, fair and honest election come in”.
“So if we allow disinformation, we are effectively allowing our elections to be unclean, unfair and dishonest,” said Andanar.
Citing his observations in the ongoing campaign period, he noted that some of the “black propaganda” targeted certain administration senatorial candidates and even President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and his family.
He cited the video series of a purportedly self-confessed member of an illegal drug syndicate named “Bikoy,” who accused the Duterte family of involvement in the drug trade.
Andanar said administration senatorial candidates Christopher “Bong” Go and Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa have also been targeted with various “black propaganda”.
He said “disinformation campaigns” have been also prevalent in the local electoral races in various parts of the country.
“What happens now to candidates that are sincere, well-educated and qualified to serve if they will be destroyed by disinformation and fake news? If they lose, we deny ourselves a good leader and the election was not clean, honest and fair,” he said.
“Vote buying is just one aspect, but I believe that what is very crucial is dismissing disinformation,” Andanar stressed.
“We need to stop disinformation. It is our responsibility as media practitioners and the civic responsibility of every citizen of this republic to share only the correct, right and truthful information,” he added.
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