Año files case against perpetrator of fake news

September 7, 2020

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año has formally filed a complaint against a man from Cebu who allegedly quoted him as advising couples to practice physical distancing after sex in a post at social media, according to an official.

Interior Undersecretary and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said the Philippine National Police (PNP) were able to identify the person behind the social card after they completed their investigation.

Malaya said cases were filed against Gabriel Marvin Cabier, 26, from Cebu City, for violation of Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code or unlawful use of means of publication and unlawful utterances in relation to Section 6 of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 and Inciting to Sedition at the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office last August 20.

“DILG Secretary Año officially filed a case against the one who circulated a malicious and wrong information that he allegedly advised couple to practice physical distancing after sex,” Malaya said.

"Our freedom of expression is not absolute especially if it distorts facts. This freedom cannot be used to spread fake news or to dish out disinformation,” he added.

The official said this action taken by the secretary is a reminder for everyone to be responsible in what they post in social media.

“We pushed through with the filing of criminal cases as a warning to all would-be perpetrators of fake news to think twice before they do something similar. We will prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law. What he did was wrong and should not be tolerated,” Malaya said.

The DILG is still waiting for the subpoena to be released by the investigating prosecutor while the controversial post has since been deleted by the administrator of the page.

In the Visayan language, Cabier’s malicious post circulated like wildfire to the dismay of many government officials including Año who was maliciously attributed to be the source of the news.

“In this time of public health emergency, it is unfortunate that some people stoop so low and waste their time and energy to spread fake news and sow disinformation to malign people such as Secretary Año, himself a COVID survivor, who has been tirelessly working to defeat COVID-19 in his capacity as Vice Chair of NTF COVID-19,” Malaya said.

“We urge these people to use their creative minds instead on how they can complement the efforts of the government in spreading the right information and helping those in need,” he added. Ella Dionisio/DMS