Rep. Bongalon: Surge of fake news undermines report of declining crimes
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The decline in recorded crimes across the country is being undermined by a surge of fake news, spreading unwarranted fear, according to House Assistant Majority Leader Jil Bongalon of the Ako Bicol Party-list.
In a press release on Sunday, Bongalon expressed concerns that the rampant spread of misleading information online is overshadowing the government’s achievements in combating crime.
“Let’s be clear: crime is going down. The data is there,” he said, pointing out Philippine National Police (PNP) data showing a 26.76 percent drop in focus crimes—from 4,817 cases between January 1 and February 14, 2024, to 3,528 in the same period this year.
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Focus crimes refer to incidents of carnapping of motorcycles and motor vehicles, homicide, murder, physical injury, rape, robbery, and theft.
The PNP also reported that rape cases saw the steepest drop, decreasing by 50.6 percent—from 1,261 cases between January 1 and February 14 last year to 623 cases during the same period in 2025.
“Ang daming nagbabahagi ng videos o kwento na walang buong konteksto. Nangyayari sa ibang bansa, ipapakalat na parang dito nangyari. Ito ang nagpapalaki sa takot ng mga tao, kahit hindi naman ito tugma sa totoong sitwasyon,” Bongalon, a member of the House “Young Guns” bloc, also said.
(So many people are sharing videos or stories without full context. Events that happen in other countries are being spread as if they happened here. This fuels people’s fears, even when it doesn’t match the actual situation.)
Bongalon said his sentiments echoed those of Police Chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil, who urged media practitioners and online users to report crime with fairness and context.
He also pointed out that fake news threatens not only public trust but also the morale of the police.
“Fake news is a crime in itself—it steals peace of mind and sows unnecessary fear,” the House leader said.
“Ang epekto nito ay hindi lang takot kundi pagkawalang-tiwala sa mga institusyong araw-araw na nagtatrabaho para sa ating seguridad,” he added.
(The effect of this is not just fear but also a loss of trust in institutions that work daily for our security.)
To further combat fake news, Bongalon urged stronger media literacy programs, especially for the youth. He also called on media practitioners to report news with context, accuracy, and balance—not just resort to sensationalism.
“Kapag mahina ang media literacy, mas madaling kumalat ang maling balita. We need to empower our citizens to verify first and share later,” Bongalon said.
(When media literacy is weak, misinformation spreads more easily. We need to empower our citizens to verify first and share later.)
“As Gen. Marbil rightly pointed out, public safety is not just about statistics—it’s about how people feel. At kung gusto nating mapanatili ang tiwala at kapayapaan, kailangang sabay tayong kumilos laban sa takot at kasinungalingan,” Bongalon said.
(As Gen. Marbil rightly pointed out, public safety is not just about statistics—it’s about how people feel. And if we want to maintain trust and peace, we must work together to combat fear and misinformation.)
