WHAT appears to be “fake news” may have forced around 200 families to flee their homes in Cagayan de Oro’s far-flung barangay of Tagpangi on Tuesday night, February 19.
Authorities said that prior unvalidated reports on sightings of an armed group in the city’s hinterland villages spread anew like “wild fire” that “misinformed” residents took refuge in barangay Lumbia around 6:45 p.m.
Records from the City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) office showed at least 46 households from Tagpangi, 66 from Pagalungan, and 80 in Lumbia have evacuated.
They returned home hours after government security forces confirmed that there was no presence of any armed group in the area.
Police investigation disclosed that a 50-year-old man saw a flash of lighter from an inhabited house and suspected that there were armed men inside which prompted him to leave his home.
Superintendent Mardy Hortillosa II, spokesperson of the Cagayan de Oro City Police, said the words from the man may have quickly spread and caused a chain reaction, resulting to panic and hysteria.
Hortillosa revealed that prior to the incident last night, there were already unvalidated reports of sightings of armed group in the hinterlands.
“Ang katong tawo nakakita siya nga naay flash sa lighter so nagduda siya nga naay armed group nga nabaniog didto kay prior ana naay unconfirmed reports nga atong nadawat nga naay mga kadudahan didto dili pa lang mag semana,” Hortillosa said.
“Pero naa na gyud issue ana diha sauna unya siguro nabutang na sa ilang huna-huna nga naay armado bisan wala pa nila nakita mao na dayon to ilang reaction,” he added.
Whether a case will be filed is a thing that still remain to be seen as the old man may have just made an honest mistake, based on their initial assessment.
“Tan-awon nato kung mosulod siya sa fake news law kay kung naa siya’y intention nga magpakatag og fake news liable siya. Sa among tan-aw wala siya’y intention kay pati iyang pamilya namakwit man pero tan-awon gihapon nato unsa gyud ang hitabo,” Hortillosa said.
However, Hortillosa said those personalities who deliberately peddled fake news through social media may be held liable.
“Katong uban nga klaro kaayo nga nagkatag og fake news sa social media nga ingon naay gihostage ug naay gisunog nga balay posible to nga ma-hold liable. Pero tan-aw nato ani is misinformation kay ang iyang nakita nga flash of lighter naka come-up dayon siya nga naay armado ug nikalat na dayon,” he added.
403rd Brigade Commander Colonel Edgardo De Leon has also confirmed that there were no armed militia in the upland villages, and that, they may not pursue charging the man for alarm and scandal.
“Sa barangay na lang po nila aayusin, kasong pang barangay na lang,” he said.