Laments proliferation of fake news during poll campaign
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar lamented that fake news have become increasingly incredible as elections draw near just like the recent claims linking former Sec. Bong Go to the illegal drugs trade.
In a phone patch interview on Radyo Natin- Davao Occidental yesterday, the PCOO Chief remarked, “Ang fake news, ang disinformation, grabe na ngayong eleksyon. Kita natin ‘yan sa istorya ni Bikoy. Sabi niya involved daw sa drugs si Bong Go, patunay ‘yung tattoo niya raw sa likod. Eh wala namang tattoo si [former] Sec. Bong Go.”
“Idinamay niya pa si Kitty (President Rodrigo Duterte’s youngest daughter)—14 anyos na bata drug lord? Buang na. Incredible na masyado ang mga istorya,” he continued.
Earlier this month, a YouTube video entitled, “Ang Totoong Narco List – Episode 3,” went viral after its narrator who only identified himself as “Bikoy” alleged that drug money is funneled into Go’s bank accounts. The video went on to claim that Go has a dragon tattoo on his back supposedly containing the code of his drug transactions.
The former top presidential aide has since then discredited the allegations by baring his back to the media. Notably, the supposed tattoo linking him to the illegal drug trade is non-existent.
Sec. Andanar noted that these types of disinformation prove the active destabilization efforts against Pres. Duterte and his allies. In response, he assured that PCOO has further intensified its efforts against fake news through its Dismiss Disinformation campaign.
Dismiss Disinformation is a media literacy program led by PCOO and Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in coordination with Radyo Pilipinas, People’s Television Network (PTV) and Philippine News Agency (PNA). The program was launched in 2018, simultaneously with the establishment of Provincial Communications Officers Network (PCONet) to educate the public in countering the spread of fake news.
