CALOOCAN CITY, March 22 (PIA) -- An official of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Sunday said they have already filed appropriate cybercrime charges against a certain individual allegedly behind the spread of COVID-19-related false information over social media and the internet recently.
Speaking at the Laging Handa public briefing hosted by the Presidential Communications Operations Office and aired live on PTV Channel 4, PNP Spokesperson B/Gen. Bernard Banac said the PNP is firm in running after purveyors of “fake news” and reminded netizens to be responsible in sharing information materials that are sourced online, with love ones and with the general public.
“Ang PNP po ay patuloy na nag-iimbestiga sa mga maling nagpapakalat ng impormasyon at may nakasuhan na tayo sa CARAGA na nagpakalat na umano ay may 2 COVID-19 na nag-positive sa kanilang lugar,” he said.
Banac, however, did not disclose the identity of the perpetrator while on live television. But further research by the PIA NCR identified the suspect as Michael P. Gumonit, a resident of Barangay Binucayan, Loreto, Agusan del Sur and pastor of International One-Way Outreach Foundation Inc. Church, based in the town of Veruela, in the same province.
An article posted by the PIA Regional Office 13 on the PIA Website (pia.gov.ph) on March 17 said Gumonit reportedly posted about two positive cases of COVID-19 in areas of San Gabriel and Sta. Emilia in Veruela. Upon verification, however, the news was found to be false and fabricated.
“Gumonit will be facing charges for violation of Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code or the ‘Unlawful Use of Means of Publication and Unlawful Utterances’ in relation to section 6 of Republic Act 10175 or the Anti-Cybercrime Law,” the article read.
“Muli tayo ay nagpapaalala sa lahat na yung mga nagpapakalat ng maling impormasyon, iwasan po natin iyan kasi maaaring managot sa Republic Act 10175. Ito po ang Anti-Cybercrime Law na maaaring mapanagot ang nagpapakalat ng maling impormasyon na maaaring magdulot ng takot sa ating publiko,” the police official said.
One recent COVID-19-related false information spread through social media said “special military helicopters will spray pesticide in the skies across the country beginning midnight, as a measure to fight the COVID-19,” even warning the public to immediately remove their laundry outdoors for risk of contamination.
Upon hearing the malicious information, the Philippine Air Force (PAF), through Public Affairs Office chief Major Aristedes Galang, immediately issued an official statement countering the false warning, by disproving the rumors and appealing to the public not to entertain the fake information.
“There is no truth to the information being spread online that military helicopters will spray pesticide across the country as a measure to fight the COVID-19,” the PAF said.
To recall, the PCOO has been hosting the ‘Laging Handa’ platform, through print, television, radio, and online media, on the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in the Philippines by providing timely, relevant, and interactive updates on the measures being done in addressing the disease and other related issues.
As of latest report by the Department of Health, there are about 307 confirmed COVID-19 cases across the Philippines, where 13 of the patients recovered and 19 died. (PIA NCR)
source https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1036871
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