After disowning red-tagging posts, PNP cries foul over 'fake news' on social media resurfacing solved cases
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 5:08 p.m.) — The chief of the Philippine National Police, Police Gen. Rodolfo Azurin slammed false information circulating in social media sites, calling these a modus operandi posed by criminal gangs to spread chaos.
In a statement, Azurin said that he ordered the Anti-Cyber Crime Group to intensify monitoring against online disinformation resurfacing photographs and incidents from solved cases to imply they had just happened.
“I call the attention of our public to be more mindful of what we are posting in our social media sites and refrain from spreading unverified information from unknown sources that may lead to public disturbance, panic, and confusion," Azurin said.
He pointed to the posts of Angono Rizal News Online, which brands itself as a community journalism outlet, which he said re-shared earlier police reports "possibly and intentionally posted to gain more followers on said social media."
Azurin said that the PNP through ACG has already requested the social networking site to take down the publication's account.
'Fake news spreaders' to face criminal charges
In a stronger statement issued Saturday afternoon, Police Brig. Gen. Joel Doria, acting chief of the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group said that the PNP would intensify its cyber-patrolling activities and "validate all videos that have been circulating in social media."
"I appeal to the public not to believe easily, videos or post that you see online especially if these posts have not been validated by your PNP. Your PNP ACG is working double time to ensure that the safety of every 'Juan' in cyber space is attained," Doria said.
“To all spreaders of fake news, remember this: we are watching you.”
Academics have labeled the Philippines as the "patient zero" for digital disinformation, pointing to the disproportionate growth of disinformation operations in the Philippines in recent years.
Earlier in the coronavirus pandemic and under the Duterte administration, social networking site Facebook took down a network of some 276,000 accounts for what it said was "coordinated inauthentic behavior."
The same accounts, which reportedly boosted pro-administration content and fake news against the opposition, were found to be linked to the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The PNP at the time "disowned" the social media giant's public statement "as unofficial and unauthorized," insisting that its social media channels "remain compliant with standards and continue to serve its purpose."
READ: PNP disavows accounts Facebook took down for 'coordinated inauthentic behavior'
Despite proof from both Facebook and human rights groups as well as repeated instances of online red-tagging and disinformation, no PNP social media handler has been held accountable for the posts.
It is yet unclear what the actual charges would be in the event that accounts and content are flagged by the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, or if the PNP's own social media activity would be covered by the latest directive.
Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines prohibits the "unlawful use of means of publication and unlawful utterances" and imposes penalties of up to P1,000 on:
- Any person who by means of printing, lithography, or any other means of publication shall publish or cause to be published as news any false news which may endanger the public order, or cause damage to the interest or credit of the State;
- Any person who by the same means, or by words, utterances or speeches shall encourage disobedience to the law or to the constituted authorities or praise, justify, or extol any act punished by law;
- Any person who shall maliciously publish or cause to be published any official resolution or document without proper authority, or before they have been published officially; or
- Any person who shall print, publish, or distribute or cause to be printed, published, or distributed books, pamphlets, periodicals, or leaflets which do not bear the real printer's name, or which are classified as anonymous.
Section 6 of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 also covers all crimes defined and penalized by the Revised Penal Code "committed by, through and with the use of information and communications technologies."
"[A]s more and more fake videos circulate in social media...all spreaders of Fake News must be monitored and social media exploitation must be conducted to identify the person who orchestrated it. Once identified, appropriate charges should be filed," the Anti-Cybercrime Group said.
"Information sabotage should not be tolerated as it creates a feeling of panic in the community. Spreaders of unvalidated information/news should be made accountable for creating undue fear."
The PNP's history of red-tagging
The PNP chief's appeal comes days after the PNP Maritime Group's official social media channels published posts claiming that former senator Ninoy Aquino was an armed rebel linked to the New People's Army.
PBGen Roderick Alba, PNP public information chief distances from social media posts by the PNP Maritime Group calling former Sen. Benigno Aquino an NPA rebel, says posts have been taken down and are being investigated "to determine those responsible." | via @francoIuna pic.twitter.com/j6CA4MZS3g
— Philstar.com (@PhilstarNews) August 21, 2022
The PNP eventually distanced from those posts, saying it would investigate to determine those responsible. To date, though, no PNP social media personnel have been held accountable for disinformation posted on official PNP properties on social media.
Philippine National Police units have, since the Duterte administration, often used social media accounts to accuse people and organizations of links to the communist rebellion. The PNP has maintained that this is not official policy and that officers are bound by the agency's social media guidelines.
READ: Despite proof, PNP says it did not try to link community pantries to rebels
This also comes in the wake of a string of kidnappings and petty street crime which the PNP urged calm over, calling it a manageable situation for the time being.
In response to the wave of kidnapping, the PNP earlier said that each case was independent of one another and had no links in motive. The PNP went on to claim that the sum of index and nonindex crimes has so far decreased by some 45.2% in the first few months under the Marcos administration.
Azurin ordered police units in the country to intensify efforts in monitoring the circulation of fake news that "pose threats and misinformation that may instigate and incite social conflict."
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