THE Presidential Communications Office (PCO) has sought the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) assistance to investigate a social media page involved in the proliferation of false information related to the country’s current energy situation.
The PCO, led by acting Press Secretary Dave Gomez, tapped the DOJ to look into those behind the Facebook page “Malasakit News Pilipinas,” where “fabricated” energy‑related information were posted, misleading the public on the status of the Middle East conflict in terms of oil supply and its economic impact.
“We are asking the Department of Justice to investigate at least three ‘fake news’ posts, determine the persons who fabricated them, and bring them to court on behalf of the Filipino people to answer for the harm they have caused the public,” Gomez said.
Gomez cited three posts in particular, with one urging the public to invest on solar panels, citing a future “energy lockdown” brought about by the looming global oil crisis.
A post in the said page also encouraged the public to stock up on gasoline, diesel and LPG due to a fuel shortage, while another claimed an emergency lockdown due to an “imagined” Covid-19 Cicada variant.
Gomez said the spread of fake news is a violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
“Any attempt to mislead the public about energy security, supply, or pricing to sow confusion will be treated as a serious offense. We will not let you get away with a crime. We will go after you and hold you to account,” he said.
“Our ultimate obligation is to safeguard the stability of energy supply, protect consumers, and uphold the public’s right to true and accurate information,” Gomez added. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)