Anti-disinformation bill vulnerable to state abuse — human rights advocates, think tank

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June 5, 2026 | 5:38pm

MANILA, Philippines — Several human rights groups and an economic think tank warned the public about the potential for abuse of the newly passed anti-disinformation bill.

House Bill No. 9465, or the proposed Digital Media Anti-False Information Act, was approved on third and final reading in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, June 3, after garnering 286 votes in favor, three against and seven abstentions.

The House of Representatives claimed in an official press release that the measure “targets coordinated troll farms, bot networks, fake account syndicates and foreign-backed influence operations” that manipulate and deceive the public.

The bill also seeks to criminalize the deliberate publication and dissemination of false information. It would impose penalties ranging from six to 12 years of imprisonment and fines of P500,000 to P2 million on those found guilty of the acts.

The measure was principally authored by Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos and was identified as a priority bill by his father, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

‘Open to abuse’

International human rights watchdog Human Rights Watch said that the measure has “vague and overly broad language,” making it “open to abuse” by government officials.

“The Philippines’ ‘anti-false information’ bill has vague and overly broad language that the government can weaponize to silence free expression,” Lian Buan, Southeast Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch, said in a news release.

“It empowers the authorities to encroach on individual speech as well as the independence of news organizations and other digital platforms,” she added.

The human rights watchdog also warned that the measure would “increase the risk of government control of digital platforms, including major independent media outlets,” as these would be required to coordinate with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) under the proposed law.

The DICT was identified as the main agency responsible for implementing the bill.

Human Rights Watch further said the measure may have a chilling effect on organizations and individuals, leading them to refrain from voicing criticism of the government and its officials for fear of being punished under the law.

“Adding this new bill onto that pile provides the government with sweeping powers to restrict speech that would further stifle internet freedom and the free exchange of ideas and opinions,” Buan said.

‘Strengthens state censorship’

Local human rights group Karapatan also condemned the bill, saying it would only strengthen the government's “power of censorship.”

“Like the Anti-Terrorism Act that has very broad definitions of acts that constitute terrorism, HB 9456 likewise resorts to vague definitions of what constitutes ‘disinformation,’ ‘malicious intent,’ and ‘serious threat to national security,’ allowing the State to arbitrarily censor online content and penalize perceived violators,“ Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said.

Palabay added that the bill’s “harsh penalties” may have a “chilling effect on independent and investigative journalists and political activists” who publish online content that runs counter to government narratives.

‘Threat to independent economic research’

Economic think tank IBON Foundation said the bill would threaten independent economic research because it is “anchored on the dangerous assumption that government authorities can determine what is true or false.”

“While presented as a measure against disinformation, the bill threatens independent economic research, democratic debate, and the public’s right to know the real state of the economy,” IBON said in a statement on Thursday, June 4.

“In economics, virtually every major policy issue can have contending analyses of the same facts,” it added.

The group directly opposed the bill's passage, arguing that its vague provisions could suppress legitimate criticism.

“Those who tell uncomfortable truths about the economy should not be threatened with punishment. The public has the right to hear competing analyses and decide for themselves,” IBON said.

“HB 9465 is not an isolated measure but part of a broader pattern of shrinking democratic space, and should not pass into law,” it emphasized.