PNP: 16 cases vs fake news so far pending in courts
Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame. File photo.
MANILA, Philippines — Sixteen cases against fake news filed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) so far are pending in courts.
This was according to data from the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) shared by Public Information Office Chief Col. Randulf Tuaño at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.
The cases were filed as early as the time of then-PNP Chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. up until the formation of the agency’s Joint Anti-Fake News Action Committee (JAFNAC), Tuaño added.
Data on the profiles, numbers and locations of the respondents in these cases was not immediately available from the PNP.
Anti-fake news ‘action committee’
The JAFNAC was formed last April and officially launched last May 2, as the national police force’s response to disinformation on crime rates and a recent string of kidnappings.
“Mas gumanda yung coordination. Hindi lang nakaatang sa ACG kundi nandoon na siya sa committee for easy coordination at pag-iimbestiga ng mga fake news,” Tuaño said.
(Coordination became easier. It’s not only dependent on the ACG, but it’s now with the committee for easy coordination and investigation of fake news.)
READ: PNP chief Marbil ‘declares war’ vs lies
According to Tuaño, the JAFNAC’s first case was that of a Davao City-based vlogger who claimed that 30 Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and 90 Special Action Force (SAF) personnel raided the home of former President Rodrigo Duterte last April 30.
READ: Davao vlogger sued for report on Duterte home raid
Coordinated effort?
When asked if recent cases of disinformation about crime was a coordinated effort, Tuaño said, “Lahat ng possibility is pwede yan. Patuloy na pinalalabas sa pamamagitan ng mga fake news or perception na magulo ang ating bayan kabaligtaran ng sinasabi ng datos.”
(All possibilities can be the case. Fake news or perceptions continuously give the impression that our country is in chaos when the data says otherwise.)
READ: PNP chief blames social media for ‘impression’ that crimes are worsening
The PNP previously claimed there was a 26.76-percent drop in the nationwide crime rate. /jpv
