Palace warns fake news peddlers: Defaming Thai royalty is punishable by jail time

Malacañang on Saturday slammed anew the peddlers of an alleged "fake news" report that Thailand's monarch instructed President Rodrigo Duterte to behave during the 35th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Bangkok.

"Peddlers of false information must be reminded that Thailand has one of the strictest lese-majeste laws in the world," presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

"Harming Philippine-Thai bilateral relations by defaming the monarchy through lies and falsehoods is punishable by prison term, and those behind this recent insolence must face such a grim but deserving consequence," Panelo said.

Holding a copy of the October 31 edition of the Bangkok Post, Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar denied in a video statement that the newspaper ran a front page story titled “King orders PH Duterte, behave during ASEAN summit.” 

"The Palace condemns the latest black propaganda waged by the President's fierce and unthinking critics and detractors by peddling a bogus news story allegedly published by the Bangkok Post with the header, 'King orders PH Duterte, behave during ASEAN summit'," Panelo said.

The Palace official said the release of the "bogus news story" is deliberate and malicious as it went viral on the day Duterte arrived in Thailand to participate in the 35th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits.

"The Office of the President expresses its indignation over this cheap political stunt aimed at embarrassing President Duterte, thereby humiliating our country which he represents, before the global audience," Panelo said.

"These raucous anti-Duterte forces should be educated that when the Head of State and the Chief Executive of the Government of the Philippines is on an official trip overseas, we set aside politics — even the bitterest one amongst foes," he added.

Panelo said the group behind the false news cannot rally behind a nation’s mandated leader, as he represents not only his office but the image of the nation as a whole. He added the group should at least observe moratorium on its campaign on hate.

"The political enemies of the President appear to have thrown decency to the garbage bin even as they parade themselves as a rambunctious minority in our country," he said.

Duterte was expected to participate in the meeting of Southeast Asian leaders on regional and global issues on November 2 to 4.

The regional bloc was also scheduled to meet with the United Nations and its dialogue partners China, India, United States, South Korea and Japan. —Ted Cordero/KG, GMA News