Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile emphasized that the right to free speech should be grounded in truthful information to educate the public rather than manipulate them.
His statement comes amid growing concerns over the spread of fake news online, particularly during election season, which was recently discussed in the lower house of Congress.
In a social media post on Sunday, March 23, Enrile stressed that freedom of expression in social media must be fact-based to ensure the public receives accurate information.
He explained that the Bill of Rights guarantees the people’s right to make informed decisions on matters affecting them, not to be deceived or manipulated for others’ personal interests.
“My understanding of the right to guaranteed freedom of free expression in the Bill of Rights is that it is underpinned with truthful information so that our unknowing people are made aware of events or happenings in our social community so that our people can make the right decisions on matters that affect them, instead of being manipulated to serve the interest of others,” Enrile stated.
He urged social media users to be cautious when sharing information online to prevent the spread of misinformation, which could lead to national instability.
“I would like to believe that social media practitioners are intelligent and rational enough to exercise utmost care and caution to disseminate to the public only well-confirmed information so as not to mislead the unknowing people with fictitious or invented facts,” he added.
Enrile further emphasized that social media platforms should not be used as a license to spread false information, warning that doing so could lead to an “anarchic information system and disorderly society.”
Meanwhile, on March 21, Communications Secretary Jay Ruiz expressed concern over how online misinformation, disinformation, and fake news contribute to national division.
During a House Tri-Committee hearing on malicious and fake online content, Ruiz stated that falsehoods are causing deep divisions among Filipinos.