Noveleta Cavite Mayor allegedly spreads fake news about COVID-19
Noveleta Cavite Mayor Dino Chua faced complaints due to fake news about COVID-19 that he was allegedly spreading.
As the enhanced community quarantine has reached its second week, local government officials have been exerting more effort in order to ensure the safety of their constituents. However, the Mayor of Noveleta was faced with another difficulty.
Based on the report from Bandera, Mayor Dino Chua received complaints. Allegedly, he was among the people who spread “COVID-19 fake news.”
Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac a case was filed against Chua for allegedly spreading wrong information about the first COVID-19 case in Cavite City.
Authorities have filed the Republic Act 11469 o “Bayanihan to Heal As One Act” case against the Noveleta Cavity Mayor. Aside from him, two broadcasters are also facing the same complaints.
Banac said that Mario Batuigas, the owner of Latigo News TV; and Amor Virata, a Vlogger and an online reporter, are also included in the case.
Based on the investigation of PNP Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit-Calabarzon, a social media account named “Maggie Bernal” shared a post showing the faces of alleged PUIs (persons under investigation) in Cavity City and included information about a patient who already died due to COVID-19 at the Cavite Medical Center.
Furthermore, the netizen accused the local officials of Cavite City of not being transparent to the public regarding information about the outbreak.
However, Cavite City LGU denied the accusations through the data from the Rural Health Unit (RHU). Reportedly, the post caused panic to the residents of Cavity City.
Further investigation led to the findings that the “Maggie Bernal” social media account previously used the name “Angela Mae de Guzman”. Banac said that Noveleta Cavite Mayor Dino Chua used this account in 2010 to malign his political opponent.
Based on the report, a witness revealed this information against the mayor. It was said that the witness was the former administrator of the said social media account.
Chua is also facing other complaints: unlawful use of means of publication and unlawful utterances, online libel, R.A. 11332 or Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act, and Data Privacy Act.
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