PCO seeks DOJ probe vs. fake posts on Bato Dela Rosa's case

The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Monday endorsed to the Department of Justice (DOJ) the possible filing of charges against four Facebook accounts that allegedly claimed the Supreme Court had blocked the arrest of Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.

The endorsement covers the accounts KaChizmaze, Booc TVs, Cris Lademora, and Lenny Quirz / Linie Quirong.

The PCO said the accounts published similar posts falsely claiming that the High Court had “officially stopped” any attempt to arrest or surrender Dela Rosa to the International Criminal Court (ICC) or any foreign authority.

The posts were also presented as news, using phrases such as “JUST IN,” “Breaking News,” “landmark ruling,” and “The Court clearly stated…”

PCO Director Robertzon Ramirez made the endorsement in his capacity as head of the PCO Anti-Fake News Desk for DOJ evaluation for possible violations of Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by Republic Act No. 10951, in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

“The Supreme Court, in fact, denied Senator Dela Rosa’s petition for a temporary restraining order to stop his arrest based on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC),” the PCO Anti-Fake News Desk said in its report.

To recall, the Supreme Court earlier denied Dela Rosa’s request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) and/or status quo ante order (SQAO) in connection with his possible arrest under the ICC warrant.

On May 11, the ICC unsealed an arrest warrant against Dela Rosa for crimes against humanity of murder allegedly committed between July 2016 and April 2018, during which at least 32 individuals were killed in the Philippines in the government’s anti-illegal drugs campaign.

PCO Secretary Dave Gomez said the move is part of the government’s drive against disinformation on social media.

“We warn vloggers and social media users: do not exploit public confusion for views, engagement, or monetization by spreading false news. Fabricating a Supreme Court ruling and presenting it as news is a serious offense,” Gomez said.—MCG, GMA News