Lorenzana on 2,000 civilian deaths in Marawi: Avoid sharing unverified data

Skeletons are found scattered on the grounds of strife-torn Marawi. Photo taken by Zia Adiong, Lanao del Sur crisis management spokesperson

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana called on the public to be more discerning and cautious following a news report that 2,000 civilians have been killed in the ongoing fighting in Marawi City.

“These are unverified reports. Operations are still ongoing and the proper authorities are still assessing, consolidating, and verifying data from Marawi City,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.

A news report published by The Daily Tribune quoted a “long-time member of the PDP-Laban” as saying that the civilian death toll in Marawi City was estimated at 2,000.

The official said that the casualties reported by the Armed Forces of the Philippines were “understated.”

Official death toll of the military said that 39 civilians have been killed in the fighting that started on May 23.

Lorenzana told the public not to accept every information as fact.

“Avoid sharing unverified data and figures, and stop the proliferation of fake news that only cause undue alarm, panic, and confusion among our people,” he said.

“Such information is not only detrimental to our ongoing operations. It also hurts our economy and our international image as a nation,” he added. IDL

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