By Brian Campued
Individuals spreading false information about the health condition of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. could face legal consequences, Malacañang stressed Friday.
During a press briefing in Iloilo City, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said that fake news peddlers could be ordered to pay damages, be charged with criminal cases, or even be issued warrants of arrest.
“Alam nila ang ginagawa nila, alam nila na mali ang ginagawa nila, alam nila na naninira lamang sila. So, kung anuman ang kanilang ginagawa, they should face the consequences,” Usec. Castro said.
Castro said those spreading fake news can be held liable for cyber libel, an offense punishable under Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code and the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
As part of the government’s intensified campaign against the spread of falsehoods aimed at ruining the President’s reputation and undermining the integrity of the government, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Wednesday lodged a complaint against three Facebook accounts for fabricating information about Marcos’ health.
“The PCO had already filed the endorsement for further investigation of these three vloggers so that if there will be a case to be filed against them, then they should be held liable for that,” Castro stressed.
The PCO, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and Department of Justice (DOJ) had earlier signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to strengthen coordination against fake news, disinformation, and AI-generated deepfakes.
The agreement, signed by PCO Sec. Dave Gomez, DICT Sec. Henry Aguda, and DOJ Sec. Frederick Vida, establishes a whole-of-government approach to curb false information that threatens public safety, national security, and democratic institutions.
The PCO’s Anti-Fake News Desk previously said that it had detected a “sudden and coordinated surge” of false information across social media platforms.
In a surprise briefing on April 13, Marcos himself dismissed rumors about his health, urging the public to not fall victim to fake news.
“My diet is back to normal, my exercise is back to normal. I still exercise three or four times a week… everything is normal, and I’m happy to say that I’m healthy,” the President said.
-jpv
