PARTY-LIST Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate of Bayan Muna has warned local journalists that the proposed anti-fake news bill has a “very broad scope and it may infringe on the people’s constitutionally-guaranteed freedom of expression”.
Zarate, who used to be a journalist, said he has serious reservations about the bill’s effectivity as a shield against bogus news, which have become in fashion owing to the Internet and social media, “since bogus news are also churned out by government propaganda mills and trolls”.
“While the proliferation of fake news and online misinformation has to be addressed decisively, we submit that criminalizing it is not the way forward,” said Zarate, who authored the House bill decriminalizing the crime of libel.
“Fake news is nothing new and in the Philippine context, it was used by the Spaniards and the Americans and even Presidents Emilio Aguinaldo and Ferdinand M. Marcos,” Zarate said.
“What can be done to address fake news is for mainstream and social-media practitioners to be objective in reporting events and for Congress to fast track the passage of the freedom of information bill for the Filipino people to know what is truly happening in the country,” he added.
“The best way to counter fake news is for the people to be well informed of accurate facts,” he also said.