BEWARE of who you communicate with in Facebook.
Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio “Chito” Tagle said there were fan pages and personal accounts using his name in the popular social networking site without his consent.
Among Tagle’s “friends” in the bogus account were at least six priests, four lay persons, and a trial court judge, all Cebuanos.
“To set the record straight, I have no personal Facebook account. I have only one Facebook page and it is being maintained by the Jesuit Communications,” said Tagle in a video uploaded in his genuine FB page “Bishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle.”
“I seek your help in reporting fraudulent pages and accounts, not only those concerned with myself, but also with other peolpe and entities. Let us keep the social networking world a good communication venue by being truthful,” the 55-year-old prelate added.
Tagle’s real Facebook page posts videos on his spiritual reflections on Bible readings and the Sunday Gospel.
Msgr. Esteban Binghay, episcopal vicar of the Archdiocese of Cebu, said he was concerned about parties misrepresenting Tagle because they may place him in a bad light.
In one account of “Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle,” the user who claimed to be the archbishop commented on a photo of a man wearing a liturgical vestment.
“Look good haha. Altar server in Vatican. I am also wear that vestment. Only deacons, priests and bishops wears that here in the Philippines. Why are you wearing that? Are you a priest?”
The account listed 259 “friends” as of yesterday.Several other Facebook accounts carry Tagle’s name and title, all unauthorized.
Cebu heritage writer and iconographer Louie Nacorda was among the “friends” in the bogus account.
“I’m really very surprised,” Nacorda told CDN. He said he thought the person he communicated with was Tagle based on the user’s answers to his queries.
“Now that Tagle disclaimed it, I will stop communicating with that other person,” Nacorda said.
So far, he said, the imposter hasn’t said anything offensive.