Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Ace Barbers said on Sunday, January 19, that the House of Representatives will develop a regulatory framework to prevent vloggers from disseminating fake news and disinformation.
In an interview with dzBB, Barbers said the Congress will investigate vloggers accused of spreading fake news to discredit the Quad Committee.
The lawmaker has asked the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to identify and investigate vloggers involved in the alleged activity.
“Kaya natin sinasabi na kailangan magkaroon ng regulatory framework para itong mga vloggers na ito, hindi na umaabuso,” Barbers said.
“The ultimate goal of the trolls is to create chaos and disorder by sowing false information, confusion, fear and slander their subjects. We must not let them win. Law and order must be preserved to ensure peace and stability in society,” Barbers said in his privilege speech on December 4.
The NBI, on the other hand, said that vloggers could be held accountable for making statements that may incite sedition, emphasizing that the right to freedom of expression is not unlimited.
In a separate dzBB interview last December 5, NBI Director Jaime Santiago said vloggers who insult and slander government officials can be sued for cyber libel.
“Sakop ‘yan ng ano eh, ng Cybercrime natin,” Santiago said. (TCSP)
