The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said it has started providing assistance to quell the spread of fake news online.
DICT USec. Eliseo Rio Jr. told in the Laging Handa Public Briefing that they have been offering technical assistance to the Philippine National Police (PNP) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) who are in charge of finding perpetrators of fake news.
“Ang ginagawa lang po naming ay technical support sa mga law enforcement agency. So marami na rin po kaming nabigay na impormasyon sa kanila (We only provide technical support to law enforcement agencies. We have already provided a lot of information). In fact, some of this information have actually resulted to arrest in these past few days,” Rio said,
The PNP has earlier launched Task Force COVID Kontra Peke to determine those behind false information on COVID-19.
Under Section 6 of RA No. 11469, a sanction of two-month imprisonment or a fine amounting to Php 10,000 to Php 1 million will be imposed on violators of Bayanihan to Heal as One Act which also includes those who spread false information.
