THE Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Tuesday confirmed that arrest orders will soon be served against people who have committed “cyber sedition.”
DICT Secretary Rodulfo Salalima told Palace reporters that his department was able to hunt down several individuals who are involved in spreading propaganda on social media that promotes terror acts in the country.
Salalima, however, did not name the persons who will be apprehended by the authorities.
“There are persons who will be arrested for cyber sedition. We are not going to name the persons. We are able to track more than one last night,” Salalima said.
This developed after the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) earlier called on Facebook to take down about 63 accounts allegedly being used by the Maute terror group and their sympathizers to spread propaganda.
Salalima said the DICT is “involved” in tracking social media users who purportedly share activities perpetrated by terrorists groups in the Philippines.
“To the extent that they effect or they commit cyber crimes, then, DICT takes over,” he said.
“Remember: rebellion, sedition are crimes under the old Penal Code. You do sedition, you incite people via cyber or via Internet. I call it, there is cyber rebellion. In rebellion, there must be a taking up of arms, so if it’s done online, it could amount to cyber sedition,” Salalima added.
AFP spokesperson Restituto Padilla Jr. earlier appealed to the Filipino people to be responsible and not be swayed by sharing “false news” on their online accounts.
Padilla said social media has merely been used by the local terror groups and sympathizers to incite fears among the public. (SunStar Philippines)