Manila: Malaca±ang is studying possible legal action against individuals behind the spread of false reports claiming that Senator Ronald 'Bato' Dela Rosa had been arrested, saying the government would not allow the deliberate dissemination of fake news. In a press briefing Thursday, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Dave Gomez has ordered the agency's anti-fake news desk to investigate the source and spread of the false information. She said authorities are determining whether the posts were made with malicious intent and are seeking the cooperation of the mainstream media to help curb the spread of false information. Castro said the government is also studying possible penalties against those responsible.
According to Philippines News Agency, Castro stated, 'Tingnan po natin. Inaaral pa po kung ano 'yung mga pinakalat, paano pinakalat at ano 'yung mga mensahe. Atin po 'yang bubusisiin. hindi po ito tutulugan ng gobyerno (Let's see. We are currently examining what was circulated, how it was spread, and what the messages were. We will scrutinize this thoroughly... the government will certainly not let this slide).' Asked if authorities already have an idea who initiated the false reports, Castro said investigators are also looking into the role of Internet trolls in amplifying the claims.
Dela Rosa has been in hiding since the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against him over his alleged role in the Duterte administration's anti-illegal drugs campaign. On the government's efforts to arrest Dela Rosa, Castro said operations remain ongoing, citing earlier statements by Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla. When asked whether President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. still has a standing directive to arrest Dela Rosa, Castro replied, 'Yes, still there is.'
Rumors of Dela Rosa's arrest were immediately denied by law enforcement authorities, which the Palace said was a mere 'diversionary tactic' meant to shift public attention away from the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte. The Palace noted how personalities known to be allies of the Vice President were among those who posted cryptic reports on social media, insinuating that the senator had been arrested.
Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said on Thursday they have information that Dela Rosa is still in the country. 'We are looking at the different places and the supposed whereabouts of friends, relatives as well as kung sino yung lagi niyang kasama. Most probably, nandito siya sa Pilipinas (We are looking at the different places and the supposed whereabouts of friends, relatives as well as who he normally goes with. Most probably, he's here in the Philippines),' Nartatez told reporters in a briefing in Camp Crame. 'We always, from time to time, on a daily basis, mayroon tayong mga information na nare-receive (we receive information). And these information ay pino-process natin (we process it) such that this becomes intelligence,' he added.
