A DAVAO City councilor is proposing a local ordinance that would penalize the malicious distribution of information in a bid to combat fake news online.
“So pwede na nato sila gukuron after ani mapasa nato ni siya nga proposal (We can be able to go after them once this becomes a law),” Davao City Councilor Bonz Andrei Militar, chairperson of the Committee on information technology, said in an interview with Davao City Disaster Radio on October 13, 2022.
Militar said with the enactment of the Sim Registration Act, it will help them in identifying the violators.
“Pwede man gud nato makuha ang ilahang number, kung naggamit sila og data, if ever fake account sila kung unsa tong data ilang gamit pwede nato makuha ang number (We can get their information through their cell phone number especially if they will use data connection),” Militar said.
He also said even wifi users are not exempted.
“If wifi pud siya or router pud pwede gihapon nato makuha [data] sa ISP (internet service provider) nila kung asa to nga balay or location (If they are accessing the internet using a wifi connection, we can also get their location through their ISP),” Militar said.
Militar said this is just a precautionary measure to avoid public disturbance.
“Dako man gud siya og effect sa public, especially kung makahatag siya og kahadlok sa mga taga Davao. Kabalo ta ang taga Davao is nasanay na sa very peaceful na city, life is here gyud ta (Fake news have a big effect on the public because it can create fear. We know that Dabawenyos are used to living in a peaceful city) ,” he said.
He added that there are individuals who create public disturbance just to disrupt the peacefulness in the city.
“Pero naa gyud laing mga tao gusto manira sa Davao City, gusto maghatag og samok para at least karun mahadlok na pud sila magbuhat og ing-ani [fake news distribution] because dali na nato sila magukod (There are those who just really want to create trouble in Davao City. But with law, they will have to think twice before they cause problems with fake news),” Militar said.
He said they are still finalizing the age of individuals who will be penalized as well as its sanctions. KSD