Police arrest 32 fake news peddlers

AUTHORITIES arrested 32 persons allegedly involved in the proliferation of false information about the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

The Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group said the 32 arrested suspects were charged for violating Unlawful Use of Means of Publication and Unlawful Utterances under Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code as Amended in relation to Sec 4c4 (Online Libel) and Section 6 of Republic Act No. 10175, or the Anti-Cybercrime Law.

The suspects were from Quezon City, Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula and Caraga.

“The PNP-ACG under PBGen Dennis Agustin will be relentless in taking countermeasures on misinformation and spread of fake reports by conducting cyber patrol operations on social media and other online platforms,” PNP spokesperson Brigadier General Bernard Banac said.

“The public is urged to cooperate in taking greater steps to topple the COVID-19 pandemic, including to refrain from sharing and posting false reports that may cause panic and confusion,” he added.

The entire Luzon has been under an enhanced community quarantine, a measure aimed at containing the Covid-19.

Under enhanced community quarantine, public transport systems are suspended, food and health services are regulated, checkpoints are set up to limit the movement of people from one place to another. People are ordered to stay home to stop or prevent the spread of the virus.

Other localities outside Luzon have also imposed lockdown in their areas to stop the virus.

As of Monday afternoon, the Department of Health said there were 3,660 confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country with 163 deaths and 73 recoveries.

Within the PNP, 19 personnel have been confirmed to have been infected by the virus. Two had died.

The PNP Health Service recorded a total of 280 PNP personnel who are categorized as patients under investigation (PUI) while a total of 1,332 PNP personnel are now listed as persons under monitoring (PUM). (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo/SunStar Philippines)

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