PNP files cybercrime raps vs. vlogger over ‘fake news’ on raid vs Duterte

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said Tuesday a cybercrime complaint was filed against a vlogger for spreading fake news on the alleged raid on the house of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

According to the PNP, the complaint against the vlogger is for unlawful use of means of publication and unlawful utterances under the Revised Penal Code in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

The complaint was filed by the Police Regional Office 11 and the Anti-Cybercrime Group.

“Ito po kaugnay sa report ng vlogger na meron 30 [Criminal Investigation and Detection Group] at 90 [Special Action Force]  personnel na nanggaling sa Luzon na ni-raid ang bahay ng dating pangulo noong gabi noong April 30,” PNP public information office head Police Colonel Randulf Tuaño said in a press briefing.

(This is in relation to the vlogger's report that 30 Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and 90 Special Action Force personnel from Luzon raided the former president's house on the night of April 30.)

Davao City Representative Paolo "Pulong" Duterte earlier claimed that police personnel have been sent to their area. The PNP denied the allegations.

Tuaño refused to divulge the identity of the vlogger, saying that the PNP wants to wait for a warrant to be issued first against the individual.

The PNP official revealed that the vlogger is male. He started vlogging in May 2020 and produced a total of 218 videos. The vlogger earned 218,000 subscribers and over 20 million views.

Recently, the PNP launched a committee composed of different agencies to combat the spread of fake news.

The Joint Anti-Fake News Action Committee (JAFNAC) aims to hold fake news peddlers accountable and come up with a framework to swiftly take down wrong information online.—AOL, GMA Integrated News