VP Robredo vows to take legal action, identify fake news peddlers

Vice President Leni Robredo vowed Thursday to unmask and take legal action against those behind false claims that her office distributed spoiled food in a Quezon City hospital, saying these people cannot get away with peddling wrong information.

Robredo was referring to claims posted on social media that her office gave spoiled food to Diliman Doctors Hospital—a claim already disputed by the hospital

She said that while this is not the first time that false claims were made about her, such an act has to end somewhere.

“We are taking steps, we are making sure that these people are held accountable. I was always for decriminalization of libel and cyberlibel, and every time we are about to file a case [on these fake news peddlers], I back down at the last minute because it is against what I have been advocating for in the past,” Robredo, a lawyer, said.

“But enough is enough. We will seek formal investigation, and we have assigned a team to gather all the evidence. Mahirap also iyong iba, hindi totoong tao, mga trolls, naabuso ang technology, and we want to unmask their identity,” she added.

Robredo then said that such efforts of peddling false claims are orchestrated, and that means there is a group of people behind it.

“Sabay sabay ito lumabas eh, may conductor…orchestrated ito kaya gusto namin ma-unmask. This action [of peddling false claims] is not just against me, but against the society kasi ginagawang hostile environment an online space at nakakapagtago sila ng identity,” Robredo said.

“I think  it is time to make them accountable already,” the Vice President added.—AOL, GMA News