Roque questions Poe’s anti-fake news bill, says Palace never tolerated falsehoods

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Tuesday he would resign if the bill that seeks to prohibit government officials and workers from spreading "fake news" becomes a law.

At a press briefing in Kalinga, Roque insisted that Senate Bill 1680 being pushed by Senator Grace Poe was unconstitutional for violating the provision that there should be no law abridging freedom of expression and of the press.

“I promise that if one such law is enacted in Congress, I will resign from my post and I will sue before the Supreme Court to challenge its constitutionality," he said.

He added the bill violated the equal protection clause, saying there is no basis for "singling out government officials for criminal liability."

Roque observed that "oftentimes, sometimes it is by accident, all writers are equally guilty of publishing false news."

"I think the commitment of the truth should be a responsibility imposed on all forms of journalists, not just those writing for the government. There simply is no basis for distinguishing between the commitment to write the truth if you are a government employee and a commitment to write the truth if you are private journalist," Roque said.

"Malacañang has never tolerated fake news. We maintain that freedom of the press is anchored on responsibilities and one such responsibility is a total commitment to the truth," he added.

The bill seeks to penalize public officials and employees of government agencies, instrumentalities, offices and departments, especially those tasked to disseminate information or news, for publishing, disseminating or causing to publish or disseminate false news or information.

Poe filed the bill after the Senate committee on public information and mass media which she chairs held public hearings on fake news. —NB, GMA News