For Senator Robin Padilla, the spread of "fake news" over the whereabouts of President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. during the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Paeng in the country in late October should be considered a "national threat."
While the country was being ravaged by Paeng last month, netizens cannot help but ask about the whereabouts of the President, prompting them to trend #NasaanAngPangulo on social media. Marcos presided over a meeting via Zoom during the weekend, fueling speculations he was in Japan.
The Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) was quick to deny this.
During a Senate hearing on Monday, Padilla claimed that Marcos was with him in Cotabato at that time.
"Papaano ‘yun, wala ba kayong hakbang dun, Ma’am, sa mga fake news? Kasi lagi kong inaabangan kung ano ang sasabihin ng Office of the President kasi kasama ko si Presidente, nandun kami sa Cotabato noong panahon na ‘yun na ang tsinitsismis nasaan ang Pangulo," Padilla said.
(How's that, is there no action to that fake news, Ma'am? Because I have been waiting for the announcement of the Office of the President because I was with him, we were in Cotabato at the time when the rumor of his whereabouts came out.)
"Sinong pwedeng magreklamo doon kasi para sa akin national threat ‘yung ganun eh. Tinatanong mo kung nasaan ‘yung Presidente,"
(Who should file a case there because to me that is considered a national threat? You were asking about the President's whereabouts.)
Responding to the senator, Department of Justice’s Office of Cybercrime head Angela Marie de Gracia-Cruz said anyone can file a libel case over the “fake news” against the President.
