MANILA – The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) is ramping up measures to combat the spread of misinformation, particularly in light of ongoing discussions surrounding the International Criminal Court's (ICC) case against former president Rodrigo Duterte.
In a press briefing on Monday, PCO Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro attributed the proliferation of fake news to the current situation involving Duterte's arrest.
"This is very obvious that more fake news are lingering maybe because of the present situation regarding the arrest of former president Duterte," she said.
She said the PCO's initiatives to counter misinformation include live discussions with relevant authorities to address issues raised by both mainstream and social media.
"With this kind of projects that we have with the PCO, like the press briefing and the live discussion, I think people will have this chance to know what is fake news and what is not," Castro said.
She also confirmed that the PCO is coordinating with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to investigate fake news peddlers.
She highlighted the increasing volume of misinformation aimed at distorting the truth, noting that even former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea had been involved in spreading false information about Duterte's whereabouts.
"Kahit po mismo si… dating ES Medialdea, nakita po natin kung papaano po ba niya nabanggit na nawawala ang dating pangulong Duterte, na iyon po ay pinasinungalingan mismo ng ICC (Even former executive secretary Medialdea himself, we saw how he mentioned that former president Duterte was missing, which was directly contradicted by the ICC)," Castro said.
"So, iyong mga ganoon pong mga iresponsableng mga pananalita ay dapat po ang tao ay magmasid, mag-isip at matuto pong mag-evaluate para po hindi po nagugulo ang ating isipan at damdamin (Such irresponsible statements should prompt people to observe, think, and learn to evaluate, so our minds and emotions will not be disturbed)," she added.
Medialdea recently claimed that Duterte was not being detained at The Hague Penitentiary Institution, commonly referred to as the Scheveningen prison, in the Netherlands.
He said they were informed that Duterte would be taken to a hospital, but when he requested the facility’s name, no information was given.
The ICC, which has its headquarters in The Hague, refuted Medialdea's claims, with spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah confirming that Duterte is being held at the detention center in Scheveningen.
Asked whether legal action would be taken against those spreading false information, Castro said the government is studying the matter.
She also addressed concerns about Duterte's health and treatment at The Hague, referencing ICC Presiding Judge Iulia Motoc's remarks that Duterte is "mentally aware, mentally fit, and continuously monitored by doctors."
Castro urged the public to verify facts before making speculative statements about Duterte's health and treatment.
She said the PCO encourages media collaboration in fact-checking and disseminating accurate information to prevent public confusion and maintain clarity on national issues.
"Kung alam ninyo po na peke ito, kayo na po ang mag-fact-check – kayo rin po ay pinapaniwalaan dahil may kredibilidad din po kayo (If you know something is fake, fact-check it, because you have credibility)," Castro said. (PNA)