Commenting on the rise of fake Facebook accounts over the weekend, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, in a morning news interview said dissenters of the Anti-Terror Bill themselves may be behind it to spread misinformation about the bill.
Asked by CNN Philippines’ Pinky Webb if he’s concerned about the proliferation of the duplicate accounts, Lacson said “Nakakabahala in the sense na pwedeng kasama yan sa scare tactics. For all we know, ’yung kumokontra [sa Anti-Terror Bill] ’yung nagpapakalat nyan para matakot ’yung mga tao by dishing out disinformation.”
[READ: Fake Facebook accounts are on the rise—and DOJ is already ordering an investigation]
Over the weekend, many university students and alumni found that there have been ghost accounts made under their name on Facebook, with some even reaching out to the real namesake and threatening them.
“[F]or all we know, sila din may gawa nyan, part ng scare tactics nila ’yan na magpost sa Facebook or sa social media ng mga panakot,” Lacson added.
The senator also dared demonstrators who were saying “activism is not terrorism” to show them where in the provisions of the bill that was mentioned. Warrantless arrests, Lacson said, are also part of many existing laws against crimes and its inclusion in House Bill 6875 reiterates just that. “Wala naman tayong dinagdag, wala naman tayong binawas.”
“Ito yung mga disinformation campaign na kumakalat ngayon, and kaya nga sinasabi ko ibalik ko sa kanila: Baka sila rin ang may gawa ng mga trolls na nananakot na may dadamputin,” Lacson added.
House Deputy Minority Leader Carlos Zarate in a statement on Sunday questioned the timing of the manufacturing of dummy accounts amid the clamor against Anti-Terror Bill. “Are these deliberate [manufacturing] of numerous fake activist poser accounts [a] prelude to a crackdown, especially once the terror bill becomes a law?”
Earlier in the interview, Webb was interrogating Lacson regarding the safeguards of the Anti-Terror Bill, which Lacson confirmed will be on its way to Malacañang this week for President Duterte to go over.
Lacson also clarified that lawmakers who previously voted yes on the bill cannot withdraw their votes as it was already passed on third reading in both Senate and Congress. “Pwede sa media, pero sa Congress, hindi. I think that House and Senate will transmit the measure today as an enrolled bill. It’s up to the President to veto, approve or not act on it,” said Lacson.
According to a report by Inquirer, as of today, June 8, 15 representatives had their names stricken out as authors of HB 6875 while at least five others retracted or corrected their vote. Some legislators like Laguna Rep. Sol Aragones and Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo clarified that they did not vote yes to the measure and had in fact abstained.
Header photo courtesy of the Senate of the Philippines
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Writer: CHRISTIAN SAN JOSE
