By Wilnard Bacelonia
MANILA – Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday lauded the filing of criminal charges against four vloggers based overseas for allegedly manipulating interviews with government officials to spread disinformation online.
The four vloggers – identified as Maricel Tondi, Jennifer dela Cruz, Jacinta Cayme Antasuda, and Cherry Lyn David Capanas – are now facing multiple complaints before the Department of Justice (DOJ).
“The filing of charges by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is a step in the right direction in our ongoing war against disinformation,” Gatchalian said in a statement. “Fake news is divisive, destructive, and undermines our institutions.”
Gatchalian stressed that no one should be above the law, whether they are in the Philippines or abroad.
“Those who distort facts and damage the integrity of our government must be held accountable,” he added.
The NBI said the suspects, who are overseas Filipino workers, disseminated spliced videos of NBI Director Jaime Santiago, misrepresenting his remarks on the possible arrest of OFW vloggers spreading false narratives online.
According to a complaint affidavit filed by NBI Intelligence Service agent Mikhail Sebrio, the vloggers were charged with violations of the Revised Penal Code, including the Anti-Alias Law (Art. 178), unlawful use of publication and utterances (Art. 154), intriguing against honor (Art. 364), and inciting to sedition (Art. 142). These charges were filed in relation to Section 6 of Republic Act No. 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
Gatchalian urged swift legal action to deter similar attempts at digital deception, emphasizing the need to protect public discourse from manipulation. (PNA)
