Gov’t warns public vs false info after ‘fake news’ on holiday ‘lockdown’ circulates online

MANILA, Philippines — Government officials on Sunday warned the public against false information from unverified sources after various posts on social media claimed that a nationwide lockdown will be imposed during the holidays.

National Task Force on COVID-19 (NTF) spokesperson retired Gen. Restituto Padilla “strongly advised” the public “not to believe news or information coming from unverified sources.”

“Please ensure you verify or ask authorities or trusted organizations about the veracity of such information before believing and passing it around,” Padilla said in a message to reporters.

“Let us not be instruments of fake news distribution and help our fellow kababayan,” he added.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles also issued a similar advice.

“Alamin ang totoo. Huwag maniwala at Huwag po magkalat ng Fake news lalo na ngayong panahon. Patuloy lang po tayo maging responsable sa sarili at sa pamilya,” he said.

In a message to reporters, Presidential and Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) spokesperson Harry Roque reiterated that information circulating online the return of a stricter lockdown in the country during the Christmas season is “fake news.”

READ: PH going back to ECQ this Christmas season? IATF says it’s fake news

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier placed Metro Manila, Batangas, Iloilo City, Tacloban City, Lanao del Sur, Iligan, and Davao City under general community quarantine (GCQ) until the end of December.

The rest of the country is under modified general community quarantine until the end of the year.

JE