Photo Release

Fake news threat to public safety, people's lives: Sen. Francis “Tol” Tolentino presides over the Committee on Justice and Human Rights hybrid hearing Tuesday, December 6, 2022, on Senate Bill Nos. 1271, 1204 and 1186 which seek to create courts and SBN 1296 criminalizing fake news. SBN 1271, filed by Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. seeks to create four additional branches of the Regional Trial Court in Bacoor, Cavite; SBN 1204, filed by Sen. Win Gatchalian, seeks to create two additional branches of family courts in Valenzuela City; SBN 1186, filed by Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, seeks to create additional divisions in the Court of Appeals; and SBN 1296, filed by Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada, which seeks to criminalize the creation and dissemination of fake news. Tolentino cited the September 17 – 21 Pulse Asia survey which revealed that 86 percent of Filipino adult respondents see fake news as a problem in the country, while only 14 percent of respondents across the country do not regard fake news as an issue. “This is really a problem. But the more pressing concern is how any law that would be crafted would not be violative of the 1987 Constitution, which provides that no law shall be passed abridging freedom of expression. But the problem right now is fake news/misinformation/disinformation/false information has been a growing problem and it now serves as a threat to public interest, safety, order and people’s lives,” Tolentino said. (Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)