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Alexis Romero - The Philippine Star
April 6, 2026 | 12:00am
Stock photo shows a woman on a laptop showing "fake news.
" memyselfaneye / Pixabay
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang intends to file charges against peddlers of false information aimed at exploiting the energy-related issues stemming from the Middle East conflict.
“In light of the current energy landscape, we warn anyone who deliberately fabricates stories and spreads fake news online to exploit the situation that they will be held to account to the fullest extent of the law,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Dave Gomez said in a statement over the weekend.
“Our anti-fake news desk, in coordination with the Department of Justice, will file charges against those who flagrantly disseminate deceptive information or manipulate markets,” he added.
Gomez issued the warning after a social media post falsely claimed that there would be an “emergency lockdown” starting April 20. Another online post peddled false information about a supposed “emergency lockdown” because of the COVID-19 Cicada variant and even used the logo of the health department to make the announcement appear legitimate.
Gomez said the PCO is verifying the original sources of the discredited posts.
He reminded social media users that publishing false news is punishable by up to six months imprisonment under Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code. When committed online, the penalty is doubled under the Cybercrime Prevention Act, the PCO secretary added.
“Spreading fake news and disinformation undermines public trust, destabilizes our economy, and threatens the welfare of every Filipino during this time of energy emergency. There will be zero tolerance for those who maliciously and deliberately commit these acts to advance their personal or political vested interest,” Gomez said.
He called on citizens, members of the media and other stakeholders to rely on official briefings and verified information and to work together to prevent the manipulation of critical energy information for personal or political gain.
“Stop and think before you post or hit ‘share.’ In these difficult times, sharing unverified posts can cause public harm,” he said.
Gomez gave assurance that the PCO is working with its partners in Oplan Kontra Fake News initiative to intensify the monitoring of social media and information ecosystems and to detect and counter deliberate disinformation campaigns.
The government remains steadfast in ensuring “transparent, accurate and timely communication” about energy developments, he added.
“Our ultimate obligation is to safeguard the stability of energy supply, protect consumers and uphold democratic processes,” the PCO chief said.
