DILG to hunt ‘propagators of fake news’ after furor on social-distancing-after-sex advice

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Tuesday said it would go after “propagators of fake news” for spreading “malicious and derogatory” statement attributed to its head, Secretary Eduardo Año, about observing physical distancing after having sex.

“We at the DILG are not inclined to make such false and malevolent claims, neither will we tolerate them. False and derogatory news like these intend to impugn the institution’s credibility and undermine the progress we have thus far accomplished in the fight for Filipino survival,” Año said in a statement, reacting to the fake social media post that he urged physical distancing after sex.

“As such, we at DILG will investigate the matter at hand and will go after the propagators of fake news with renewed intensity,” he added.

Specifically, DILG was warning about Año’s photo quote which states, “After mag-sex, dapat may distancing din.” (After sex, there should be distancing.)

But DILG said the real photo quote is “Sa bahay, dapat may social distancing din.” (At home, there should be social distancing as well.)

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año condemns the "malicious and false information" attributed to him, saying there is no truth to the recent statement circulating on social media about practicing distancing after sex. | @NCorralesINQ pic.twitter.com/dhJnbDg4FR

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 11, 2020

Año, meanwhile, reminded that the government and citizens should work together to stop the spread of coronavirus disease.

“In these troubling times, we at the Department believe that the right step to healing and recovery is not through divisive and disparaging means. Rather, we must all put our best foot forward and unite as a nation to establish mutual trust between government and the citizenry as well as lead the path towards lasting peace, harmony, and progress,” the DILG chief said. [ac]