COMELEC To Seek Help From PNP, NBI vs Fake News

The COMELEC will seek help from PNP and NBI to go after the perpetrators behind fake news.

COMELEC — The Commission on Elections will seek help from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to go after the perpetrators behind fake news about the poll body and the electoral process.

On Monday, COMELEC Commissioner George Garcia said in an interview on Dobol B TV that those who are behind the fake news will be prosecuted. He said that the poll body will tap the cybercrime unit of NBI and PNP if needed.

“Kung kinakailangan po naming i-tap ‘yung cybercrime unit ng NBI, ng PNP. We will go after them. We will prosecute them,” he said.

Garcia recently slammed a fake news item saying that there are already results of the May 2022 elections involving 100% of the registered voters. A fake news item also claimed that ballots have already been shaded prior to the upcoming elections.

READ ALSO: Twitter Teams Up With COMELEC To Promote Healthy Conversation During 2022 Elections

The poll official pointed out that fake news undermines the integrity of the electoral process.

“Fake news na fake news. Kaya nga lang po syempre, hindi naman po lahat ay makakaunawa kapag nakakita ng ganyan sasabihin pa may nanalo na, luto na ang eleksyon na ‘to,” Garcia said.

Last January, the poll body warned the public against social media users impersonating poll commissioners or officials.

The poll body encouraged the public to report any Facebook friend request claiming to be from a COMELEC commissioner or other poll officials for community standards violations.

At that time, COMELEC spokesperson James Jimenez said that the poll body is closely coordinating with the social media platforms so that those social media accounts could be taken down immediately.

Thank you for visiting Newspapers.ph. You may express your reactions or thoughts in the comments section. Also, you may follow us on Facebook as well.