Guevarra seeks probe into proliferation of dummy Facebook accounts

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Sunday said he will order an investigation into the recent proliferation of dummy accounts on Facebook.

“This gives me cause for worry. We don't need false information at a time when we're dealing with a serious public health crisis,” Guevarra told reporters.

“I will immediately direct the Department of Justice Office of Cybercrime to coordinate with the National Bureau of Investigation and Philippine National Police cybercrime units to promptly investigate the apparent proliferation of fake or dummy accounts on Facebook,” he added.

The University of the Philippines (UP) earlier sounded the alarm over fake accounts bearing the names of its students popping up following protests on campus grounds and the arrest of at least seven individuals from UP Cebu who challenged the anti-terrorism bill. 

Students from the De La Salle University likewise reported blank Facebook profiles bearing their names and expressed concern over their cybersecurity and other possible dangers posed by such duplicate accounts. 

The hashtag #HandsOffOurStudents trended on Twitter Sunday afternoon following multiple reports of dummy accounts.

The development follows days of online and offline protests against the controversial anti-terrorism bill, which seeks to add muscle to the Human Security Act of 2007. 

UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet previously warned that the bill would “dilute human rights safeguards."  She also said that the Philippine government is using the coronavirus crisis as an excuse to clamp down on free expression and tighten censorship. — Julia Mari Ornedo/BM, GMA News